Just a Bit of a Fixer Upper
by denpa wave chick saki
Summary: Galinda Upland needed a job. An abandoned corn granary seemed like the perfect solution; fix it up, and she'd be on her way. However, life seemed to have other plans for her, and those plans include the granary's current occupant, who also happens to be dead. Life was obviously set on proving Galinda wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**Another Wicked series! I'll try to be more consistent with this one, and update every week. Hope you all enjoy it!**

Galinda Upland had been looking for an apartment for months. Upon her graduation from Shiz University, she'd been ready to start job hunting and head out on her own. She knew she didn't want to live in the Vinkus (too hot) or Quadling Country (too far away). Living in the Emerald City was out of the question; it was far too expensive. That left her with only two choices: the Upper Uplands or Munchkinland.

"You simply can't live in Munchkinland!" her friends had insisted when the subject came up during a lunch outing. "Think of living amongst all that dirty farmland!"

Galinda wasn't sure if she entirely agreed, but it would be nice to live closer to home, so she and her three other friends decided to rent an apartment together in Frottica, which made the four feel just fine.

The first month was a blur; unpacking supplies, setting up the rooms just so, deciding who should have what color dishes and so forth. Even with the moving in excitement, Galinda did her best to try and find a job. However, Frottica seemed to have no need for a graduate with a degree in architecture, so the blonde expanded her search. Pertha Hills, Settica, Wittica; each time she was met with the same result.

"Sorry, we're just not hiring anyone without experience right now."

It made the blonde a bit frustrated; how was she supposed to get experience if no one would hire her? By the time the second month rolled around, Galinda still had no job, and her savings were beginning to run out.

Her friends, on the other hand, were not as discriminating as their blonde suitemate. They chose to work at coffee shops and retail outlets, and spent any disposable income on the latest styles and luxuries for themselves.

Upon starting the third month of their co-habitation, Galinda's friends decided they needed to have a chat with her.

"You haven't gotten a job yet, and we just feel as thought you haven't been pulling your own weight."

The "chat" took Galinda completely by surprise, and it was in that moment that she realized she wouldn't be able to live here much longer. The blonde was at a loss for what to do, so that night, she decided that she needed to get away. She took the train to Dixxi House and settled in the quaint diner, ordering herself a cup of coffee and a piece of lemon meringue pie.

"Miss Galinda?"

The Frottican looked up at the voice, smiling slightly. "Hello Boq."

The Munchkin, who had always been a bit infatuated with the blonde during their school days, gave her a nod. "How are you?"

"I've been better."

A look of concern crossed the Munchkin's face, and he gestured to the empty seat beside her. "May I?"

Galinda nodded, and Boq slid onto the stool.

"What's wrong?"

"I've been having trouble finding a job," Galinda admitted, running her thumb across the rim of her cup. "Seems no one needs any architecture work done."

"I'm sorry you've been having trouble."

Galinda shrugged. "What about you? What are you doing out here? I thought you went back home."

Boq nodded. "I did- I mean, I am back home. I had to make a delivery to the Emerald City."

"Still farming?"

The Munchkin nodded. "Not exactly what I want to be doing, but it's something I suppose."

The blonde nodded, and a silence passed between them.

"Well, it was a pleasure to see you again, Miss Galinda," the Munchkin said as he stood.

"You too."

Boq nodded before he started to leave, but paused and turned back towards the blonde. "I don't know if this is your area of expertise, but I've heard talk about people wanting to destroy one of our corn granaries… it was one of the first put up in Munchkinland, near the Dragon Cupboard…" He trailed off, hands wringing.

It wasn't entirely what she had expected, but it could be work, and she needed that desperately. "It sounds like something I might be able to have a hand in."

Boq lit up a bit. "Great. Whenever you have the time, you can come visit and I'll show you the property."

* * *

Galinda's friends were a bit appalled when she told them the news, and as before, they implored her not to go to Munchkinland. However, the blonde reassured them that it was merely to view the property, and the next day, her bags were packed and her car filled with gasoline.

The drive was a pleasant one, and though Galinda enjoyed living in urban Frottica, as she crossed the border into Munchkinland, she found the simple countryside growing on her. The air was a bit dry, but not nearly as bad as the Vinkus, which meant it would not wreak as much havoc on her delicate skin.

As the Frottican turned onto a dusty dirt road, she glanced at her GPS, making sure she had entered the correct address. There were a few farmhouses around, but as the blonde reached the end of the road, she found that the granary stood alone. Galinda exited her car, looking down at her phone; Boq had texted her, saying he'd be there soon along with the current owner.

As she waited, the blonde approached the building, noticing the heavy padlock on the door. She glanced up at the broken windows, and her eyes narrowed; for a moment, she could have sworn she's seen the outline of a person.

The sound of a car driving up caught her attention, and she turned to see that it was Boq and another older man.

"Galinda! I'm so glad you could come out here," the Munchkin said as he approached. "This is Roman Skarr, the current owner."

Galinda shook the offered hand. "Galinda Upland."

"Boq has told me that you have a degree in architecture," Master Skarr said.

"That's correct." A pause. "So… I heard you're thinking of tearing this granary down?"

"Yes…" Roman sighed, looking up at it. "It's really an eyesore, and I've been considering building a gated community of sorts out here."

Galinda glanced at Boq; she understood now why he had been concerned. "Well, I'd like to take a look at it, if that's all right."

There was a tense pause before Roman replied, "Of course." He led the way to the door and pulled out a key, unlocking the padlock and leading the two inside. "As you can see, it hasn't been used in quite some time… there's really nothing here."

Galinda didn't reply, instead looking around the lower floor. It was covered in a fine layer of dust, but something about it… it called to her. The blonde heard a sudden creak, and she turned, her gaze falling on a staircase. She started for it, hearing Roman call after her, "I wouldn't use those."

"I'll be fine." Galinda started up the stairs, hearing them creak dangerously underneath her. Still, she continued up, soon emerging on the top floor. Sunlight filtered in through the dirty, broken windows, and Galinda looked around, hoping the floor wouldn't give way.

A sudden scraping noise caught her attention, and she whipped around, her gaze falling on a table and two chairs. They looked innocent enough…

"Hello?" she called. "Is someone there?"

There was no response, and the blonde shrugged it off. She had just turned to start back down the stairs when she heard a rush of movement, and something very solid (yet somehow not) slammed into her, and she could have sworn she heard someone yell, "Get out!" before she went crashing through the window. Galinda barely had time to scream as she grappled for something to hold onto, catching the rotting windowsill.

"Miss Galinda!"

There was the sound of running footsteps, and Boq and Roman were suddenly above her, grasping her arms and pulling her up.

"Are you all right?" the younger Munchkin asked, worry in his features.

"What happened?" Roman added.

"I'm fine… and I don't know… it happened so fast."

The older man looked a bit troubled. "This granary is falling apart; knocking it down will be the best thing for it."

There was a sudden loud pounding, startling both Boq and Galinda, though Roman seemed unaffected.

"Let's go downstairs. It gets drafty up here, which makes it hard to hold a conversation," the older Munchkin said.

The others nodded and followed him downstairs and outside, where he locked the door up again.

"Well, I suppose I should sign the order for destruction," Roman continued.

Galinda shook her head. "No… I want it."

Both men looked at her in surprise.

"Miss Galinda, you almost fell out the window, and I would not be able to forgive myself if anything happened to you," Roman said.

"I want the chance to restore this granary; I think it deserves that at least."

Roman sighed, and Galinda couldn't understand why he was so reluctant. "I just don't know… it seems like a big project for a little girl."

The blonde was certainly offended by that. "I can handle it. If you give me a chance, I know I can surprise you."

Another pause, and Roman sighed again. "All right, Miss Galinda. If you can pay the full amount, I'll give you your chance."

"What's your price?"

"5,000 green pennies."

The blonde felt as though she'd been punched in the stomach. "I… I don't have that kind of money… I barely have half of that."

Roman shrugged. "Then I suppose our business is concluded."

"Wait! Let me pay you half now, and I'll get you the rest later," Galinda pleaded.

The older Munchkin raised an eyebrow. "You really want this place that badly?"

"Yes… I do."

Roman smiled slightly before he nodded. "All right, it's a deal." He took the key out of his pocket and handed it to the blonde. "Congratulations, Miss Upland, and best of luck to you."

The blonde nodded. "Thank you; you won't be disappointed."

* * *

When Galinda relayed the news to her friends, they were absolutely distraught.

"You can't move to Munchkinland! We were just kidding about the rent, please stay!"

"Sorry girls, but my mind is made up."

And so it was. Galinda had packed up her possessions and enlisted the help of Boq in moving her things to Munchkinland. However, it soon became apparent that spending all her savings on partial ownership of the granary might not have been the best idea, for now she had absolutely no money for a place to stay. That meant the granary was her new home.

"Are you sure you'll be all right here?" Boq asked as he helped carry her things inside.

"I'll be fine," Galinda replied with a nod. She paused, looking around at her possessions. "Perhaps these should stay down here until I can fix the upper floor…"

"That's probably best." The Munchkin helped the blonde carry her mattress upstairs, setting it on the floor.

"Call me if you need anything," Boq said before he left, and Galinda was left alone in the granary.

She spent most of the afternoon rearranging her possessions downstairs and wondering what she could take upstairs without making the floor collapse. She decided on a few pieces of clothing and some pillows, and she made her way upstairs, sitting down on her mattress. She picked up the notebook she'd brought as well, beginning to make a list and draw some quick diagrams of what she had planned; it would be easier to do so once she'd gotten her drafting table set up.

There was the sudden sound of shifting objects and Galinda looked up, pausing in her writing. She remembered her last encounter (the broken window a testament that it had indeed happened), and she stood cautiously.

"Hello?" The Frottican went back downstairs, seeing that suitcase had been unlatched. Her brow furrowed; she could have sworn she closed it after pulling her clothes out. The blonde went over to the suitcase and put the latches back on before straightening up. Something suddenly hit her in the back of the head and she turned, seeing a balled up piece of paper on the floor. She stooped to pick it up, finding that it was the diagram she had made earlier, except that it was now covered in violent scribbling.

The blonde swallowed hard, feeling a chill go down her spine. She quickly ascended the stairs, though once again, the granary was empty.

That night, as Galinda lay down to sleep, the darkness of the granary pressed in on her in an almost suffocating way. She chose to pull out her phone and set it beside her, the glowing light providing some semblence of comfort as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Galinda woke with a start, the room frighteningly cold. Her chest almost hurt from the chill as she tried to breathe, and as she turned over, her gaze fell on the sight of a tall woman standing over her, glaring down at her with the most hateful look Galinda had ever seen. The Frottican's voice caught in her throat, and before she could fully process what she was seeing, the woman lunged for her, hands briefly wrapping around her neck before she disappeared.

The blonde looked around frantically, but the room was empty. Galinda put a hand to her chest, trying to keep from hyperventilating as her thoughts raced.

_Fuck, was that a person? I thought I locked the door… I have the only key, how could someone get in? What the hell is going on here? Am I going to make it through the night?_

Slowly Galinda lay back down, glancing over at her phone. She pressed a button, but there was no response. Her brow furrowed; it had been fully charged earlier. That was strange...

Galinda didn't fall back asleep for a long time.

* * *

As the morning sunlight filtered through the still dirty window, Galinda's eyes opened wearily, and she let out a groan as she sat up. The events of last night suddenly came back to her, and she looked around quickly, seeing no one. Galinda closed her eyes as she put a hand to her head, trying to remember what the woman had looked like. She had been tall and lean… and green… her skin had been green… and her eyes had been so full of hate… Galinda was sure she would never forget those eyes.

The blonde shook the image from her mind as she stood and stretched, looking around the barren room. Showering was obviously out of the question… in fact, she hadn't even given any thought to any of her basic necessities. She had no running water here, no electricity… Galinda sighed at the thought of all the work that lay ahead of her.

With another sigh, the blonde stood and changed for the day, trying to ignore the feeling that someone was watching her. She pulled a hand mirror out of her bag and began to brush her hair, fighting with a knot in her curls. The mirror suddenly shattered, and Galinda jumped back with a small shriek. After a few moments, she composed herself and headed downstairs, gathering up her purse and making her way outside. She turned and locked the door before heading out to her car and plugging in her phone charger before connecting it to her phone.

First order or business: finding a way to survive out here.

* * *

"I'm sorry to keep calling on you like this, Boq."

The Munchkin waved a hand at her. "It's no problem, really. Truth be told, I've missed you since our school days, so I enjoy seeing you."

Galinda nodded. "Boq, I hate to be so forward, but since paying Master Roman… I have no money, and the granary is not equipped with any sort of utilities…"

"Of course." Boq shook his head. "Listen, I'll talk to a friend of mine and he'll help you out."

"Thank you—"

"And you need food too, don't you?"

"Boq, you don't have to—"

"Galinda, I farm for a living, and we always have surplus crops. It's no trouble, really… just until you can get back on your feet."

The blonde was a bit embarrassed, but nodded. "Thank you… I'll pay you back..."

"Don't worry about it; I'm happy to help you out."

* * *

Seeing as taking care of her business had been easier than expected, Galinda found herself returning to the granary relatively soon after she'd left. Of course, she still had no tools or supplies, but that would be a problem for another time. The blonde pulled the burlap sack of food Boq had gifted her from the backseat, along with the five gallon water jug. She found herself dragging that one across the dirt as she made her way to the front door, fumbling through her purse for the key. Upon locating it, she stuck it in the lock and gave the door a tug.

It remained closed.

Brow furrowed, Galinda tugged again, and was met with the same result. With a frustrated sigh, she set down the sack and grasped the handle with both hands, tugging harder.

"Come now, you fool thing!" she grunted as she tugged on it, leaning back with her full body weight of 100 pounds.

The door suddenly swung open, sending the blonde tumbling back onto the ground with a squeak and small cloud of dust. She sat up with a huff, dusting herself off before she stood. She gathered up her items and hauled them inside, the door slamming shut behind her.

"This place is trying to kill me…" Galinda muttered as she set the items down. She had enough food for the week, which was good, but it occurred to the blonde that she had no way to heat it. Hopefully she still remembered how to start a fire…

The blonde a good portion of her afternoon setting up the lower floor of the granary; if she had to live here, she might as well be comfortable. She also resigned herself to the fact that her drafting table would not be able to go upstairs for a while, so she might as well set it up downstairs so she could at least use it. Having her table out was exceedingly helpful, for now she could draw full models of the granary and could plan what needed to be done. The blonde paused in her work only once for lunch before continuing.

As night settled over Munchkinland, Galinda was forced to stop working, seeing as she had no light source. The blonde sat back with a sigh, rubbing her tired eyes. Boq's friend wasn't coming for a few days, which meant that tomorrow, she needed to go out and find some way to make money; at this point, she couldn't let her pride get in the way.

The sound of someone descended the stairs heavily caught Galinda's attention, and she grabbed the item nearest to her (a t-square), brandishing it towards the staircase. She waited, her heart pounding as the footsteps drew closer.

And then it was quiet.

Galinda held her breath, waiting for someone to jump out at her, but after a few moments of silence, she let out a sigh, lowering her hand. She was beginning to understand why Roman had been so eager to knock this place down; something was seriously wrong with the granary. The Frottican was beginning to wonder if staying here was really worth risking her life… she had just started to head upstairs when that familiar solid-yet-not object slammed into her, forcing her back against the wall with what sounded like a yell. Galinda felt her voice leave her, and after a few moments of silence, she slowly sank to the floor, trying to control her breathing.

The Frottican became aware of a stinging in her face, and she stood shakily, going over to her purse and pulling out her compact mirror. Her gaze fell on her cheek, which sported three new scratches that definitely hadn't been there before. Hands trembling, Galinda put her compact away, wondering what in Oz's name was going on in this place.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm publishing chapter 2 early! Hope everyone is enjoying it so far!**

Galinda groaned as she sat up and stretched, growling a bit when she hit her hand on the ceiling. After last night's incident, the Frottican had opted to sleep in her car, and despite her short stature, it had still been a bit cramped. Her neck was a bit sore, and she put a hand to it with a sigh. She was hesitant to go back inside the granary, lest something else attack her, but her food and clothing were still inside, and she needed both. Taking a deep breath, Galinda left the relative safety of her vehicle and headed up to the front door, unlocking the padlock and slipping inside just long enough to grab a change of clothes and a few apples for breakfast, along with a glass of water. She quickly retreated, locking the door firmly behind her before heading back to her car.

As she ate her breakfast, Galinda mapped out her route for the day; she'd hit the local farms and ask if they needed any extra help. It was less than ideal, yes, but even if she did abandon the granary, she'd need the money to move back home. With another sigh, the blonde changed into her clothes for the day (which was rather awkward in the cramped space) before starting her car and heading for the first farm.

"Yes, I suppose I could use some extra help," the first farmer said upon being approached by the Frottican.

And that was how Galinda spent her morning weeding his crop patches, which were acres in size. By the time the sun reached high noon, the blonde's back and neck ached from the constant bending over, and her hands were hurting, despite the gloves she was wearing. Still, she had finished, and the farmer paid her fifty green pennies (ten an hour; "honest pay for honest work", whatever that meant). As she sat back in her car, she let out a sigh, wiping the sweat from her brow; the heat was sweltering, and the dust from the farmland clung to her in a way that begged for a shower. She figured she could leave the other farms for other days; she was too exhausted to continue further.

* * *

Galinda chose to spend the rest of her day familiarizing herself with the surrounding area; she wasn't entirely sure why. The granary seemed too dangerous a place to live, and perhaps Roman had been right: perhaps knocking it down was the best decision. The Frottican hated to admit defeat, especially so soon, but she did value her life, after all.

As the sun began to set, Galinda reluctantly drove back to the granary, letting out a sigh as she stood outside the door, looking at the padlock. Going back inside most likely meant risking her life again, but she figured that if she couldn't get through one more night, she'd give up on restoring this place.

Steeling herself against whatever might be waiting inside, Galinda unlocked the door and headed inside, closing it behind her. She paused for a few moments, looking around. Everything seemed normal enough… the blonde crossed the room to where her drafting table sat. Her plans from yesterday had been ripped to shreds, the pieces littering the floor. The Frottican knelt down and began to gather them up; it probably wasn't even worth it to redraw them. She straightened up and turned around, coming face-to-face with the green woman. Galinda let out a cry, jumping back and crashing into her drafting table. She fell to the floor in a flurry of drafting supplies, covering her head against the attack. After a few moments, she looked back up, but the woman was gone. The Frottican let out a sigh as she got to her feet, picking up her supplies as she did so. After cleaning up, the blonde pulled her phone from her purse, typing in a number before raising it to her ear.

"Hello, Master Skarr? It's Galinda Upland. Listen, I need to speak with you about the granary…"

* * *

The sudden sound of ringing caught the blonde's attention, and she rolled over with a grunt, groping for the source of the noise. She soon located her phone and raised it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Galinda dear! You haven't called us; how is everything? Are you all right?"

The blonde swore under her breath; she'd temporarily forgotten about her parents. "I'm fine Mumsie."

"How is your… what are you doing out there again?"

"I'm restoring a granary."

"Oh…" A pause. "Well, I hope you're enjoying yourself."

"Yes…" Galinda bit her bottom lip.

"Call us if you need anything, all right?"

"Mumsie, I'm fine; I can live on my own."

_Says the woman too afraid to even set foot in her own home._

"Yes, well, we worry about you anyway."

"I know… thank you…"

"Love you dear."

"Love you too Mumsie."

The blonde hung up with a sigh, looking around her car, which she was currently spending another night in.

"Yeah… I'm doing just fine…"

* * *

Upon waking up the next morning, Galinda groaned as she sat up, her body aching in protest. Roman was coming in an hour or so, which meant she'd need to pack everything up again. Moving back home would be mortifying to say the least; how could she convince her parents of her independence if she couldn't even survive a week on her own? Galinda sighed; that was a problem for another time. At least she'd have enough money to get home after Roman came.

After preparing for the day inside her car once again (this was getting ridiculous), Galinda emerged just in time to see Roman driving up. Face flushed, she pretended to be rummaging for something so he wouldn't know she'd been sleeping there.

"Good morning, Miss Galinda," Roman said after emerging from his car.

"Good morning…"

"Changed your mind about the granary I see."

"Yes…" Galinda didn't feel like explaining her reasoning, lest she be called crazy.

"Ah, well, I expected such; this project was too big for a little girl anyway. Buildings are men's work."

The blonde could feel her anger growing at that; how dare he make such an assumption about her! "Yes, well, it just wasn't the project for me."

Roman nodded. "Well, destruction was the best choice anyway. I'll need the key."

Galinda nodded, pulling said item from her pocket. "I'm sorry to leave this project behind, but I suppose I can use my money on another one—"

"Your money?" Roman raised an eyebrow. "Were you under the impression that you were going to get your money back?"

Galinda didn't like where this was headed. "Well, yes…"

"Miss Galinda, you purchased half of the estate from me."

"Yes, and now I'm returning it."

Roman shook his head. "Maybe if you had purchased it for the full price, we could make some sort of deal, but as it is… consider your money rent."

"Rent?" Galinda was appalled. "I stayed here for three days! Even an apartment in the Emerald City doesn't cost that much for three days!"

Roman shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, Miss Galinda." He didn't seem all that broken up by the situation. "Now, I'll give you some time to pack up and—"

"Hold on. If I'm not getting my money back, then I'm not leaving," Galinda said, pulling the key away.

Roman looked confused. "You just said—"

"I know what I said, but if I'm not going to get my money back, then I damn well want to give this project another try." Galinda was not sorry for her use of profanity.

The Munchkin crossed his arms. "Miss Galinda, this is not very professional of you."

"Yes, well, you're holding my money, which isn't very decent of you, so I suppose we're even then, aren't we, Master Roman?"

"I suppose." A pause. "Well, I hope you have better luck this time around, Miss Galinda." He tipped his hat at her before getting back inside his car and leaving.

The Frottican felt triumphant at that, but only for a few moments as it occurred to her that she was right back where she had started. Galinda turned back towards the granary with sigh. She'd restore it, all right… after she figured out what the hell was going on.

* * *

In order to save herself from being called crazy, Galinda knew she couldn't go to anyone she knew for help, which meant she needed to employ the help of someone else. It had taken some searching (and a few wrong turns) before she found a small shop with a single neon sign in the front: Psychic.

Galinda sat in her car for a minute or so, wondering if this was the best decision. She'd never considered going to a psychic before, believing them to be, well… charlatans really. Taking a deep breath, the blonde left her car and entered the small shop. Immediately she was greeted with the thick scent of incense, causing her nose to wrinkle.

"Hello?" she called, coughing a bit. "Is anyone here?"

There was the sound of footsteps, followed by the sound of beads rattling.

"Ah, hello."

The blonde held back her cry of surprise; standing before her was an Elephant.

"My name is Nastoya," she continued, approaching the Frottican. "How may I assist you today? Perhaps you'd like your fortune read, hmm?"

"N-no… thank you…" Galinda tucked a blonde curl behind her ear, as she often did when nervous. "I… I am in need of your… services… elsewhere."

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, you see… I bought this old granary in hopes of fixing it up… but something isn't right… I think it's trying to kill me."

The Elephant let out a soft chuckle. "You are concerned that this granary is possessed perhaps?"

"Maybe? All I know is that I can't live there as it is… and I had hoped that perhaps you could help me… or at least tell me what's going on?"

Nastoya paused before she nodded. "Yes, I believe I can help you."

* * *

"Well… here it is," Galinda said, gesturing to the granary.

The Elephant nodded as she approached, looking up at the building. "Yes, I can definitely feel some sort of supernatural energy coming off this place… could you perhaps open the door?"

Galinda nodded before she unlocked the door, pushing it open. "Should I wait out here, or…?"

"That might be for the best. I shouldn't be long," Nastoya replied before she entered, walking around the lower level slowly. Galinda watched her from outside, and occasionally the Elephant would nod before taking a few more steps. Eventually, the blonde heard the creaking of the stairs, and she wondered if the upper level would be strong enough to hold the Animal.

About ten minutes passed before Nastoya returned, and Galinda hastily put her phone away as she heard her approach.

"Well, Miss Galinda, I have good news for you: the granary is not possessed."

The blonde let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Oz—"

"Rather, you have a specter."

Galinda stopped mid-sentence. "A specter?"

Nastoya nodded. "A ghost, if you prefer."

"…. And you consider that better than the granary being possessed?"

"Well, yes. Possessions are much more dangerous; this specter merely wants you to leave her alone."

"So it is a woman! Is she green?"

"Oh, you've seen her?"

"A few times… she attacked me."

The Elephant smiled slightly. "Do not worry, Miss Galinda. The amount of energy it would take for her to seriously injure you is much more than what she possesses."

"Okay… how do I make her stop?"

"Well, I suppose that if you wish to continue with your work, you'll have to find a way to live with her."

"How am I going to do that?"

Nastoya shrugged. "I believe you will find a way."

Galinda sighed. "All right… thank you…" The blonde paid the Elephant and watched her leave in her covered wagon (which somehow held up to her size). The Frottican turned to face the granary, its open door looking anything but inviting. With another sigh, Galinda headed inside, the granary creaking a bit around her. She remembered what Nastoya had said about trying to live with this ghost (since she obviously wasn't going anywhere), and she clenched her fists as she looked around.

"All right, listen to me: you've made it clear that you want me gone, but due to… certain circumstances, neither of us is going anywhere for a while, so I believe it would be best if we just try to get along. I will leave you alone if you let me work; I'm trying to save this place, and once I'm done, I'll leave, okay?"

There was silence, though Galinda wasn't sure what she had expected. Still, she knew she had to make an effort, especially if she wanted to keep from being attacked again.

"I'm going to start drawing some new plans for the remodel, okay?" she said, making her way over to the drafting table. "Please don't rip them up again… they take a long time to draw, and I still don't have any electricity for a lamp."

The blonde felt a bit silly, talking to empty space, but if it kept this ghost from attacking her again, she was willing to look a bit foolish.

* * *

Galinda worked until the daylight was gone, and she was forced to set down her pencil. In the time she'd been working, she hadn't been bothered by the verdant specter, which she hoped was a good sign. The blonde became aware that her stomach was grumbling for food, and she rummaged through her sack, pulling out a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. After making herself a sandwich, Galinda grabbed her night clothes and phone, heading upstairs to her mattress. She sat down with a tired sigh, eating her sandwich as she scrolled through her phone. She'd need tools and supplies before she could begin working, and Oz knows how much that would cost.

Once she'd finished eating, the blonde brushed the crumbs off herself before she looked around the darkened room. "I… I'm going to change my clothes now… if you're watching, I'd appreciate it if you looked away…" Galinda waited a few moments before she changed into her pajamas and lay down on the mattress, pulling the blanket over her.

"Well… good night… I don't know if you sleep or not… but good night anyway…"

* * *

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Galinda paused in the middle of brushing her hair. She had just finished changing (thankfully) and preparing for the day when she heard the knocking.

"One moment," she called before she set the brush down and went to the door, pushing it open. Standing there was a tall blond Gillikinese male, someone she certainly didn't know. "How can I help you?"

"Are you Galinda?"

"Yes… why?"

"I'm Avaric. Boq called me; said you needed some utility work done on this place?"

"Oh, yes! Thank you for coming." Galinda opened the door further, letting him inside.

"Wow… you don't have anything here," Avaric said looking around. "How the hell have you been surviving?"

"It hasn't been easy… so what do you think you can do?"

The blond scratched the back of his head as he thought. "I can probably hook you up to the aqueducts that run through the farmlands… as for electricity, I'll have to get you a generator."

"How long will that last me?"

"If you treat it right, it'll give you power for years."

Galinda nodded; so far this all sounded good. "All right… do I need to get out of your way?"

Avaric shook his head. "No, you're fine. Just show me where you want your toilet and sink hooked up and I'll get started."

After letting Avaric get to work, Galinda headed upstairs and began reading one of the architecture books she'd brought with her. It wasn't as helpful as she'd like, seeing as it dealt with contemporary buildings rather than historic ones, which was what she was currently working with. Still, it was better than nothing, she supposed.

Throughout the day, the granary was filled with the sounds of Avaric working. Galinda checked up on him a few times, offering him lunch or a glass of water. He was pleasant enough (if a bit full of himself) and didn't trouble the blonde overly much.

Just as the last few rays of light disappeared, Avaric came upstairs to announce that he had finished.

"You finished already?" Galinda said, somewhat impressed. She would have thought he'd taken a day or so.

"Yeah; Boq told me you didn't have anything, so I came prepared. Do you want to see it?"

The blonde nodded, following him downstairs.

"Here's where I hooked up the water," Avaric said, pulling back a screen to reveal a toilet and sink. "I also ran some wires along the walls," he continued, pointing to where they were attached to the wall, "so you have two outlets down here and one upstairs. The generator is outside, and I built a small shed to enclose it."

"Thank you... I don't have a lot of money right now, but I can pay you back…"

"It's all right; Boq explained the situation to me." There was a pause, during which Avaric grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "However, if you want to make it up to me some other way…"

Galinda didn't like the sound of that. "Um… I don't think so…"

"Come on; I did you a favor."

"Yes, and thank you—"

"What, you think you're too good for me?"

"I didn't say that—"

Avaric had started to advance on her when he suddenly stumbled back, as if he had been shoved. "What the—" He stumbled back again, and when he tried to advance again, he was shoved harder, this time tripping over his tool kit and falling to the floor. Galinda watched as he got to his feet, almost glaring at her, though he said nothing as he collected up his supplies and left.

The blonde waited until she heard his truck drive away before she let out the breath she'd been holding. She looked around the room, smiling slightly. "Thank you…"

Later that night, and Galinda was finally able to plug in a lamp upstairs, which allowed her to continue reading her book, making notes as she went along. Now that she had power, she needed to consider buying a microwave or a hot plate; something to heat food with. The blonde had just turned the page when her lamp suddenly dimmed, and she looked up, brow furrowed slightly.

"I wasn't done with that page."

Galinda froze, but did her best to remain calm. "Oh… sorry…" She flipped the page back, resisting the urge to turn around. After a silence, the blonde hesitantly said, "You… you like to read?"

"I did. As you can imagine, I don't get to do it much now."

Galinda nodded, her heart racing.

"Okay, you can turn it now."

The Frottican instead turned around, her gaze falling the familiar green woman. The two remained silent for a few moments until Galinda asked, "Who are you?"

"The better question is who are you? I was here first, after all."

"My name is Galinda, and I didn't mean to invade your space… I'm trying to save it."

A long pause, and then, "Elphaba… my name was Elphaba…"

The blonde nodded, and there was another pause.

"So… you're really…"

"Dead? Yes."

"How…?"

Elphaba's brow furrowed. "I don't remember…"

"You don't?"

"No, I don't remember. All I know is that I woke up here, and I just want to be left alone!" The green woman suddenly disappeared, and the blonde's lamp went back to its previous brightness.

"No, wait!" the blonde called, but the verdant specter was gone. Galinda sighed; it was a start anyway. They would definitely have a lot of work to do. "Elphaba…"


	3. Chapter 3

If Elphaba was around the next morning, she certainly made herself scarce. Galinda had made eaten the rest of her fruit for breakfast, and she knew that her next purchase had to be something to keep food cold; she needed more options than sandwiches every day. However, before she could do that, she needed more money, and that meant another day of laboring under the hot sun.

After finishing her breakfast and preparing for the day, there was still no sign of Elphaba, and Galinda hoped she hadn't offended the green woman.

"All right… I'm leaving now," the blonde called as she started for the door. "I left some books open for you upstairs… if you feel like reading them…"

A pause; if Elphaba had heard her, she made no motion to show such.

"All right… bye…" Galinda closed the door behind her and locked it, letting out a sigh as she headed out to her car.

From where she watched in the window, Elphaba let out a sigh. In all honesty, she had no idea how she'd died, or how she'd even ended up here. All she knew was that one day, she had woken up in the granary; memories of whatever life she had led before were fleeting, as if they were a dream she was struggling to remember. All she knew was that she wanted to be left alone. Every few years or so, there was the lost traveler or obnoxious young pre-teens who wanted to prove their bravery; those were always rather easy to deal with. Just a few loud noises and a quick shove, and they were practically wetting themselves as they ran away.

And now, there was Galinda, who apparently could not be scared off so easily. Elphaba had to admit, she hadn't liked the blonde at first, but after their first interaction… maybe she wasn't so bad after all. Elphaba knew she didn't want to harm her, that was for sure.

The green woman sighed as she made her way over to the books Galinda had left out. No one had ever done anything nice for her… then again, no one had stuck around long enough to do anything for her. Elphaba sat down, beginning to read as she wondered if perhaps she would be able to live with a roommate.

* * *

Upon her return to the granary, Galinda was in desperate need of a shower. She remembered what Avaric had said about installing a showerhead outside, and she went around the side of the building, finding said item, along with a fence that formed a small circle for privacy. After fetching a change of clothes, the Frottican entered the makeshift shower, flushing as she stripped; it was odd to be showering outside. She pulled the handle the started the water, letting out a small shriek as the cold water hit her skin. Eventually, she got used to the water, and she let out a sigh as she wetted her hair.

"Long day?"

The blonde let out a small scream, jumping back and hitting the wall as she whipped around. "Elphaba!"

The green woman was poking her head through the fence, which was certainly an odd sight.

"You cannot just spy on me when I'm showering!" the Frottican continued, making an attempt to cover herself.

"Why? We're both female… do you have something to hide?"

"No, but it is very rude!" A pause. "Also it is somewhat disturbing to see your disembodied head speaking to me, so please…?"

"All right, I'll be inside." Elphaba's head disappeared and the blonde let out a sigh.

After finishing up her shower, Galinda headed inside the granary, locating her brush and beginning to brush out her wet curls. She made her way upstairs as she did so, finding one of the books still open on the floor. The Frottican was about to pick it up when Elphaba suddenly appeared, sitting in front of the book. She turned the page before disappearing again, and Galinda moved to sit across from where she thought Elphaba was.

"So… how does this work?"

The green woman appeared, looking at the blonde. "How does what work?"

"This… being a ghost…"

"Oh." A pause. "What do you want to know?"

"Well…" Galinda took a moment to pick her first question. "You're… a ghost, but you can still… make yourself… solid? I mean, you did push me out the window… and scratch my face… and try and choke me…"

"Oh…" The green woman looked away, and Galinda had a feeling she would be blushing if she had any blood in her body. "I… I apologize for all that… I thought you were here to get rid of me… and to answer your question, yes, I can make myself corporeal, but it requires a lot of energy."

"Where do you get your energy?"

Elphaba gestured with her arms as if to imply the building. "I get it from my surroundings I believe… it's easier when you've turned something on, such as the lamp last night."

Galinda nodded. "I suppose that makes sense."

Another pause before Elphaba let out a sigh and disappeared.

"Hey!" The blonde was a bit offended at that, but then she remembered what Elphaba had said about the lamp. She reached over and turned it on, and a moment or so later, the green woman reappeared.

"Sorry… I was getting tired," she said as her explanation. "It takes a fair amount of energy to make myself both visible and heard."

"I see…" There was another pause. "Did… did you like the books I left for you?"

The green woman nodded. "Yes… I haven't been able to read in a long time… thank you."

Galinda nodded. "If… if there's a specific type of book you like… I can try and find it for you."

Elphaba was a bit touched at that, and she shook her head. "I don't have a preference… I just like the way words sound…."

"All right…"

There was another pause; Galinda didn't know why this was so awkward for her. She was certainly proficient in social settings… then again, she'd never held a conversation with a ghost before.

"What about you?"

"Hmm?" Elphaba's voice pulled the blonde from her thoughts.

"What's your story? Are you from Munchkinland?"

"I'm from Frottica."

"Oh." A pause. "I thought Gillikinese people were tall."

The blonde made a face. "Well, what about you? You're certainly tall for a Munchkin."

Elphaba shrugged. "I suppose, but back to my question: if you're from Frottica, what are you doing out here?"

"I told you: I'm trying to save the granary."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to preserve this historic landmark."

A slim eyebrow rose; Elphaba's expression said she didn't believe her.

"I was desperate for money and this was the only job related to architecture that I could manage to land."

"So you are an architect."

Galinda shrugged with a sigh. "I guess that's as good a description as any… my hope was to restore the granary, but with my limited funds, that's becoming more of a difficult project."

"Oh… so that's what those plans were for."

"Yes, the ones you ripped up."

Elphaba looked away. "Sorry…"

"It's all right… I think I understand why you did it…" Galinda clenched her fists a bit before unclenching them as she took a deep breath. "Listen… I know this is your… home, and I didn't mean to intrude… but I don't have anywhere else to go, so I was wondering… is it going to be possible for us to live together… at least until I finish this project?"

The Munchkin looked down at her hands. "I have to admit… I've been on my own for a long time… and I never thought I'd be able to live with someone, nor would I want to… but no one has ever come here with the intention of helping me… so I guess I can stand to live with you. Also, you're too hard to scare away."

Galinda gave her a look, but she was smiling slightly. "I'll take that as a compliment… and thank you…"

Elphaba nodded. "So what do you get out of this?"

"Hopefully a rather substantial payday."

"Oh? Who from?"

"A man named Roman Skarr. He apparently owns the granary."

Galinda continued talking, but Elphaba didn't hear her. At the mention of that name, a fleeting memory had come back to her, and she was trying very hard to focus on it. That name… why did it sound so familiar? She had a sudden vision of a tall, imposing building, and she concentrated harder, trying to place it. She was so focused on her thoughts that she didn't hear Galinda trying to get her attention.

"Elphaba!"

The green woman was startled out of her thoughts, and she disappeared from view for a few seconds before reappearing.

"Sorry… what were you saying?"

The Frottican raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment on Elphaba's odd behavior. "I was saying that I hope this Master Roman is a man of his word. I already paid him everything I have, and it wasn't enough. He said I was only 'renting', if you can believe that—"

"How much did you pay him?" Elphaba interrupted.

"2,500 green pennies."

"2,500?! How much did he want?"

"5,000."

"Ha! This place isn't even worth what you paid!" Elphaba let out another laugh, which sounded more like a cackle than anything.

"It's not funny," Galinda protested, a slight blush in her cheeks. "Stop laughing!" She grabbed the pillow off her bed and tossed it at the green woman. The object went right through the Munchkin, reminding the blonde that her companion was indeed a ghost.

"And what were you intending to do with that pillow?" Elphaba asked, arching an eyebrow.

The Frottican flushed further. "I forgot you were a ghost, okay?"

Dark eyes widened a bit at that. "Sometimes I wish I could forget…"

There was a pause as Galinda tried to push away a slight feeling of guilt. Biting her lip a bit, she found herself asking, "What's it like...?"

"What? Dying?"

Galinda nodded.

Elphaba let out a sigh. "You just… wake up… but without being able to remember when you fell asleep… or anything that happened previous…"

"So, you don't remember anything from when you were alive? Not where you lived… how old you were… not even your last name?"

The Munchkin shook her head. "Whatever is left of my memories is only in bits and pieces…"

Galinda's heart ached for the green woman at that, and she reached over to touch her hand, only to have Elphaba pull away.

"I would have thought you learned from the pillow incident," the Munchkin commented. Truth be told, she didn't want to be touched; she didn't need that constant reminder that she didn't belong here.

"I was only trying to help," the Frottican said, making a face.

"Well, I don't need your help."

"Yes, you made that very clear last night." It occurred to Galinda that she was still clad in only a towel, and she turned red. "Would you mind looking away… just so I can get dressed?"

It was the green woman's turn to make a face, but she turned around, her gaze on the wall.

"Speaking of last night," Galinda started as she began to slip into her clothing, "you're certainly changed your tune quite a bit."

"How so?"

"Well, last night you were yelling at me to leave you alone, and today you were spying on me in the shower."

A snort of amusement. "I was not spying; I announced my presence, so you knew I was there."

"Even so, why the sudden change?"

Elphaba sighed. "I thought about what you said… about trying to get along… and I realized it's been a long time since anyone's come here who was actually interested in me… you might not realize it, but being a ghost can get rather lonely at times…"

Galinda frowned; for some reason, the thought of Elphaba being all be her lonesome here made her sad. "Why don't you leave?" she asked softly.

The Munchkin shrugged. "I can't."

"Can't or won't?"

"Can't. I've tried… but I think that dying here made me connected to this place…"

"Oh…" A pause. "I've finished dressing, so you can turn back around now…"

The green woman did so, dark eyes following the blonde as she sat back down.

"So… what do you usually do with your time?"

Elphaba shrugged a shoulder, looking down at the open book. "Time really has no meaning to me… I mostly just fade in and out of existence… I scare off the occasional trespasser…" A semi-transparent finger trailed over the book. "This is the first time I've been able to read in a long while…"

The tone of her voice tugged at the blonde's heartstrings, and she wished she could touch the green woman's hand. "I… I guess you've been a bit lonely here by yourself…"

The Munchkin shrugged again. "It is what it is. I'm dead; I have come to terms with that."

There was a pause, and Galinda had just thought of another question when Elphaba beat her to it.

"Enough about my sad excuse for an existence; I have a few questions for you, the first being how do you intend on fixing this place up? From what I've gathered, you currently have little to no money."

The blonde bit her bottom lip as she tried to think of an answer. "Well… I've been working at some local farms… trying to earn some money…"

"Oh? And how much are they paying you?"

"Ten green pennies an hour."

A pause. "You do realize that's less than minimum wage, right?"

Galinda paused. "Wh-what?"

"You do know that minimum wage is fifteen green pennies an hour, right? Or at least it was when I died…"

"I've been doing all that work for less than what I should be making?!" The Frottican was obviously livid. "No wonder they're all so eager to accept my help!"

The green woman couldn't help but smile despite herself. "Well, now you know better, though you still haven't answered my question: how do you intend to fix this place up? You don't have any tools around here."

"I realize that… and I'm still planning."

"And how long do you intend to continue 'planning'?"

Galinda gave her a look. "Until I know what I need, and I have the money required."

Elphaba nodded. "So I should just get used to having a permanent roommate then."

The blonde rolled her eyes and stood. "For the time being, yes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going downstairs to make something to eat." Galinda turned and started down the stairs, going to where she kept her food. After looking over what she had, the blonde realized (with some dismay) that she only had the materials for yet another sandwich.

"You should consider buying yourself some appliances; you've been eating nothing but sandwiches since you arrived here almost a week ago."

The Frottican looked up, seeing the green woman standing in front of her. "Yes, because as we just discussed, I have plenty of disposable income to spend."

"Why not ask that Munchkin friend of yours, the one who came here with you the first day."

Galinda's brow furrowed a bit. "Boq?"

"Yes, him."

"I can't ask him for money, or for any hand-outs."

"Why not? It's obvious he has a thing for you."

"How could you possibly know that?"

The specter let out an amused snort. "I'm dead, not blind."

Galinda rolled her eyes. "Regardless, I have to prove that I can make my own way."

"Prove to who?"

The blonde sighed. "Myself…"

A slim eyebrow rose. "Is this the first time you've been on your own?"

Galinda nodded. "I grew up rather privileged… I never really wanted for anything, and my parents weren't shy about spoiling me. Starting from scratch like this… well, it's not exactly what I had in mind, but it'll do."

Elphaba nodded. "I suppose I can understand that." A pause. "You still need some sort of appliance though, independence or not."

Galinda sighed. "I know…"

"At least ask him if he can get you a better job than working out in the fields, because let's face it; you were getting taken."

The blonde gave her a look. "Yes, thank you for reminding me."

Elphaba nodded. "My pleasure."

* * *

As night fell over Oz, the blonde found herself reading by the lone light of the lamp again. Elphaba was sitting across from her (at least she believed her to be) reading as well; she'd reappear every so often to turn the page. They hadn't talked since that afternoon, both content to read silently.

Galinda could tell that it was getting late when she found herself beginning to read the same sentence over and over again. She let out a yawn before checking the time on her phone; it was almost midnight.

"I think I'm going to turn in for the night," she said, marking her page before closing the book.

"Is it late?" the green woman asked, materializing in front of her open book.

"Yes." Galinda stood with a stretch. "Could you look away so I can get dressed?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you care so much; you didn't mind those first few days."

"I didn't know you were here—wait, did you spy on me while I was dressing?"

"Not intentionally…"

"Elphaba!" The blonde's cheeks were tinted scarlet. "You can't… I can't believe… how could you…"

"You seem to have trouble forming a sentence; perhaps you should think about what you want to say before you start speaking."

Galinda let out a somewhat angry, frustrated noise. "I'm going to bed."

"All right."

A pause.

"Turn around!"

"Okay, calm down." Elphaba disappeared, and there was a pause.

"Are you turned?" Galinda asked, still blushing.

"Yes, I'm turned. You'll have to get used to changing with someone else here, you know, and it's not like we don't have the same anatomy… or we did…"

"I know that! I still don't want you looking!" Galinda finally did change into her sleep clothes, settling herself on her mattress.

"Is it safe?" Elphaba asked.

"Yes."

The green woman reappeared facing the blonde, and Galinda let out a small cry, seeing as Elphaba was now right beside her mattress.

"You need to warn me before you… materialize that close," the blonde muttered.

"You have too many rules."

Galinda gave her a look before she settled under the blanket, reaching up and turning off the lamp. There a silence, and the blonde could just barely make out Elphaba's silhouette, with its slightly blurred edges.

"What do you do at night?" the blonde found herself asking through the darkness. "You don't sleep, do you?"

"No… and I don't do much. Sometimes I go onto the roof and look at the stars… though most of the time, I'm just left alone with my thoughts… nights aren't that much different than days… I mainly kill time…"

It occurred to Galinda how lonely Elphaba was here, even if she wouldn't admit it. "Well… I can't entertain you at night… but you're free to keep reading…"

Elphaba offered her a small smile. "Thanks… well, fresh dreams I suppose…"

Galinda nodded. "Fresh dreams."

The green woman gave her a slight smile before disappearing.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hello, Boq? It's Galinda. I'm fine, how are you?" The blonde was currently trying to tuck her shirt in while holding her phone between her ear and shoulder. Elphaba was being decidedly unhelpful; instead, she was standing opposite the blonde, making kissy faces and other such faces. Galinda gave her a look before waving her off.

"Listen, the reason I'm calling is because I need another favor."

"Sure; what do you need?"

"Well, as you know, I'm a bit strapped for cash, and I haven't been able to find decent work at the nearby farms..."

"Well, I could probably find some work for you here; the other farmers keep rejecting you?"

"They weren't exactly paying me well…"

"I'm sorry to hear that. Come by today, and I'll help you out."

"Great, thanks." The blonde hung up before grabbing her pillow and swinging at the green woman. "You were terrible!"

Elphaba laughed as she ducked (which was really unnecessary). "He sounded only too happy to help you out."

Galinda gave her another look before she started down the stairs, Elphaba following. "We were friends in college; nothing more."

"Much to his disappointment."

"That's enough."

Elphaba put her hands up in defense. "Well have fun; remember to duck if he tries to kiss you."

Galinda whipped back around, but the Munchkin had disappeared. "Real mature, Elphaba." She reached for her purse, only to have it move out of her grasp. Brow furrowed, she reached for it again, only to be with the same result. "Elphaba!" The blonde reached for the purse again, and this time it was held high above her reach. "Elphaba this is ridiculous!"

Another laugh came from the green woman. "Sorry, blondie," she said before she handed the purse to the rather irate Frottican. "Go have fun."

The blonde snatched her purse with a "hmph!" before turning on her heel and walking out the door, locking it firmly behind her. There was the sound of her car starting, then a minute or so later, it was quiet again.

The smile on Elphaba's face slid away as she let out a sigh. Once again, she was left alone with time to kill. It was true that this time she had something to do; Galinda had left her books open for the green woman once again, but the Munchkin knew that would only last so long. As Galinda had pointed out, she was not planning on taking up a permanent residence here. She was only here long enough to fix up the granary, mark it as a historic landmark (which would preserve it from being destroyed), and then she would be on her way. Elphaba couldn't blame her; why in Oz's name would she want to live out here? Munchkinland wasn't necessarily a bad place, but out here, she was isolated from everything.

Elphaba could not blame the blonde for wanting to leave; she told herself that she did not care if Galinda left. She had been alone for years already; this was merely a short interruption in her loneliness. The verdant specter made her way back upstairs, sitting by the open book she had been reading last night.

_I will miss reading though… maybe I can convince Galinda to leave some books behind… _

Elphaba knew she would never be able to ask the blonde for such a favor.

* * *

When Galinda pulled up to Boq's farm and subsequently killed the engine, she let out a sigh, not exiting her car right away. As much as she hated to admit it, she wondered if there was some truth to what Elphaba had said. Not the part about the kissing (Galinda was sure Boq wouldn't try anything like that), but about his still having a crush on her. Back at Shiz, his crush on her had been rather obvious, though he'd put on a strong front when she rejected him. Galinda hadn't imagined that perhaps he still… was that why he was being so nice?

The blonde shook those thoughts from her head before she opened the door and stepped out of the car, starting for the main house. She saw the door open and the Munchkin in question emerged. His face lit up upon seeing the blonde, and Galinda managed a small wave as he approached.

"Well, you're a late riser," Boq said once they were close enough to talk.

"It's not that late…" Galinda said, looking at her phone for the time.

"I was up at five."

The blonde blanched a bit at the thought of waking up so early. "O-oh…"

The Munchkin laughed. "I didn't expect you to be up that early as well; I'm just giving you a hard time. Come on, I have some work for you."

Galinda tucked her phone into her pocket before she followed Boq to the stables, which was filled with horses, much to her delight.

"All you have to do is make sure they have enough food, and then clean all the saddles," the Munchkin said.

Galinda nodded, and after being given a demonstration of how to clean the saddles, Boq left her alone. The Frottican set about working, occasionally pausing when she got tired. It was more difficult than she had expected, but it was better than working in the dirt out in the blazing sun.

"How are you doing?" Boq asked a few hours later, coming into the stables.

"Just about done," the blonde replied. She sat down with a sigh, brushing some hair from her face. "I didn't realize you had so many horses."

The Munchkin smiled, walking forward and stroking the snout of a nearby mare. "I recall from Shiz that you mentioned never having ridden a horse before?"

The Frottican's cheeks tinted pink; how could he remember something so trivial? "Yes, well… there weren't too many opportunities in urban Frottica…"

"Well, here's your opportunity."

Galinda's head snapped up from where she had been looking down. "What?"

Boq was already beginning to tack up another horse, and the blonde stood, her protests falling on deaf ears.

"Boq, please, you don't need to- this is really unnecessary—"

"Come on, I'll help you up."

Galinda continue to protest, but that was quickly cut off with a small squeak once upon the horse and realizing how far she was from the ground. The blonde watched Boq tack up another horse before hopping on himself, leading them both from the stable.

Throughout the ride, the blonde was understandably nervous, but she managed to keep from falling off, so she considered that a victory within itself. And after a while, Galinda found that she was enjoying herself; being on a horse was much different than driving a car (as expected), and the blonde enjoyed the feeling of freedom that accompanied it.

"I hope you weren't too scared," Boq said after they had returned to the stable and taken the saddles off the horses.

"Only at the beginning," Galinda admitted.

The Munchkin smiled with a nod. "Well, come inside and I'll pay you."

The blonde followed Boq into his house, which had a simple, rustic feel about it. She glanced around the living room as the Munchkin disappeared into another room, soon returning with a small sack, handing it to the blonde.

"Here you are. I hope it's enough."

The sack felt somewhat heavy, and Galinda looked inside to see at least one hundred green pennies, give or take. "Boq… this is too much…"

The Munchkin shook his head. "You worked hard, and those other farmers ripped you off. Besides, you have to be close to running out of food."

The blonde looked away slightly; she didn't like admitting her situation because she didn't want him to feel as if he had to give her special attention. "Yes, well… thank you."

"We could grab dinner tonight if you want, and then you could go shopping tomorrow."

Galinda hesitated, but the thought of having something other than sandwiches was appealing, and besides, she had the money to pay for it now. The Frottican found herself nodding. "Sure. Just give me the address and I'll meet you there around seven."

Boq's brow furrowed a bit at that, but he conceded, relaying the address to Galinda, which she entered into her phone.

"I'll see you tonight," the Munchkin said as the blonde headed out the door.

"See you then."

* * *

"It's a date."

"It's not a date."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. She had been interrupted in her reading by the blonde's arrival, and after much pestering ("what did he say? What did you say back?"), she had managed to wheedle the details out of her.

"I am driving myself, and paying for my own food," the blonde continued, wishing she had a mirror as she brushed her hair.

"Then why are you doing yourself up?"

Galinda gave her a look. "I am making myself look presentable, something I do every day. I would put some make up on too, but _someone_ broke my mirror."

Elphaba looked away with a shrug. "It happens."

It was Galinda's turn to roll her eyes. "Regardless, I'm tired of eating sandwiches, and I don't feel like going back out to pick up groceries, so this is just an alternative."

"If you say so."

The Frottican paused to glance at the green woman, who had returned to her reading. "I mean it, Elphaba."

"All right."

Her indifference was frustrating. "Elphaba—"

"I already said all right. Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

Galinda's cheeks tinted pink, and she resumed fixing her hair.

* * *

With time to kill, Galinda took her place at her drafting table and resumed working on her plans for the granary. For once, Elphaba was leaving her alone, instead choosing to continue reading.

"All right, I'm leaving," the Frottican announced, picking up her purse and slipping her phone inside.

"That's what you're wearing?"

There it was. The blonde sighed and turned around, finding Elphaba sitting at the foot of the stairs.

"There is nothing wrong with what I'm wearing."

"Not if you're headed to a roadside burger joint."

Galinda flushed crimson. "Yes, well… you've been dead, so what do you know?" She hadn't meant it to come out as an insult, but the Frottican realized how it sounded a moment too late.

Elphaba was a bit taken aback by that; for a moment or two, she had let herself forget that small fact. "You're right. Thank you for reminding me that I do not belong here."

"Elphaba—"

"Have fun tonight." The Munchkin disappeared, much to Galinda's dismay.

"Elphaba, don't be like that. It didn't come out the way I had intended, please come back."

The room remained silent and empty, and Galinda let out a frustrated sigh.

"Fine, act like a child. I don't have time to deal with you." She turned for the door, only to feel something hit the back of her head. The Frottican whipped around, seeing a crumpled paper ball on the floor. "Good night, Elphaba," she spat before she left, practically slamming the door behind her.

Once Galinda was gone, the green woman let out a noise of frustration, making herself corporeal in an attempt to flip the blonde's drafting table, but it was heavier than she expected, and she didn't have enough energy, so she was forced to give up on that venture. Elphaba looked around, wondering what she could do. She considered hanging Galinda's underwear from the rafters, but soon dismissed that idea; it was a little too cruel, even for her.

Elphaba let out a sigh, sitting down as she regained her energy. She knew that it wasn't entirely Galinda's fault; after all, they had only been aware of each other's existence for about a week. Remarks like that were going to happen… still, she did not need to be constantly reminded that she was unlike the blonde in a very significant way.

Another sigh. There was no need to take revenge on Galinda… not for this.

* * *

It became apparent very quickly that what Elphaba had said about Galinda's attire was not entirely untrue. Upon arriving at the restaurant, the blonde discovered that she was, in fact, underdressed. The venue in question was not entirely formal (she would have been mortified at that), but it wasn't what she had expected, and it certainly called for more than the blouse and jeans she was wearing (even if they were straight legs). Embarrassment burning in her cheeks, the blonde entered the establishment, finding Boq already waiting for her at a table.

_Shit. This is a date._

Silently, Galinda cursed the green woman for being right.

"You look nice," Boq said, standing as she approached.

_I look like I'm dressed for a roadside burger joint._

"Thank you." Galinda sat down, and the Munchkin did as well. The blonde picked up her menu, glancing over it.

"Don't worry about prices; it's my treat."

The Frottican set her jaw, lowering her menu slightly. "I am capable of paying for my own food."

Boq looked taken aback at that. "I was just offering—"

"I realize I am not so well off, but I have money, and I can pay. Please don't feel obligated." Galinda's voice was tense, and she was trying to keep from angrily snapping at the Munchkin.

"All right…"

The two continued looking at their menus, and once the waiter retuned, they ordered, which left them with nothing to do but sit awkwardly in silence.

"How… how was the rest of your afternoon?" Boq asked.

"It was fine."

Another pause.

"Are you angry with me?"

Galinda let out a sigh, doing her best to keep her emotions in check. "I'm not angry… I just wish you would have told me that this restaurant was on the nicer side. I thought we were just going somewhere… casual."

"I… I apologize…" Another pause. "Galinda… did… did you think… this was a date?"

"No."

"O-oh…" Boq looked crestfallen.

"Had… had you intended this to be a date?"

Boq took a moment before replying, "Well… I had hoped… we were finally reconnecting since Shiz…"

Galinda realized that this had partly been her fault; she had relied on the Munchkin quite a lot since coming here. The blonde took a deep breath before replying, choosing her words carefully. "Boq… listen… back at Shiz… when you asked me out, and I said no… I know it hurt you. I didn't want to do it, but I had to… leading you on would have been far worse. I know that now we are communicating more, but you have to understand that I still don't see you as more than a friend… a very good friend. You've been so helpful to me throughout all this, and I am so grateful… but my feelings have not changed. I'm sorry…"

A long silence passed between them, and Galinda wondered if perhaps she should leave.

"I… I apologize," Boq finally said, taking Galinda by surprise. "Seeing you again… it brought back all the old feelings, and I didn't stop to think… I didn't mean to put you through this, and I am sorry… if you'd let me, I would like to still be your friend…"

The Frottican smiled slightly. "Of course I still want you to be my friend… I think I'd be lost in a cornfield by now if it weren't for you."

The Munchkin managed to smile back. He had just opened his mouth to say something more when his gaze fell on the person who had just entered the restaurant. "The Eminent Thropp just walked in… oh Oz..."

Galinda's brow furrowed slightly. "Nessarose?" she said as she turned around.

"Don't look!"

Galinda ignored him; of course she had heard of the Eminent Thropp before, but had never actually seen her. Her gaze quickly fell on Nessarose, who was as beautiful and elegant as she had imagined, with her spine as erect as any Ozma, and her brown hair pulled back in a tight bun. However, the blonde was surprised to see that she was in a wheelchair.

"More like wheeled in…"

"You can't say that!" Boq sounded appalled.

"But it's true…"

"She'll have you arrested, Munchkin or not."

Galinda let out a "hmph" in thought before she turned back around just as their food arrived.

"Let's just enjoy our dinner."

* * *

It was late when Galinda returned to the granary. She and Boq had (surprisingly) had a good dinner now that air between them had been cleared. The blonde had forgotten for a little while about her fight with her roommate, but upon arriving home and seeing Elphaba sitting at the foot of the stairs, she quickly remembered, and anger washed over her features.

"I see you couldn't wait to rub it in my face," the Frottican said.

Elphaba's brow furrowed. "What?"

"You were right, okay? Boq… he said he had meant for it to be a date…"

"Well, of course it was." The green woman stood. "Anytime someone asks you to dinner, they mean for it to be a date."

"Well, thank you for your otherworldly knowledge!" Galinda stalked past the Munchkin, starting up the stairs.

"Look, I wasn't waiting here to fight with you—"

"You just wanted to say 'I told you so'?"

"No! Just listen to me, all right?" Elphaba made to grab the blonde's arm, and for a moment, Galinda felt her touch. It was cold, but firm, and it actually made her stop and turn to face the Munchkin, who had disappeared.

"Real mature Elphaba."

"Please turn on the light." Her voice sounded weak.

Galinda did so, and the green woman soon reappeared.

"Thank you. Now listen: I just wanted to say that while I still do not appreciate what you said to me earlier… I have accepted that we have not known each other long enough for you to realize that some of what you may say might come out… offensively."

There was a pause as Galinda registered this. "So… you forgive me?"

"I did not say that, and furthermore, you have not officially apologized to me."

The Frottican felt a bit guilty at that. "I… I'm sorry… I did not realize then that what I said would… offend you."

After a pause, Elphaba nodded. "Thank you."

Another pause.

"Do you have anything to say to me?" Galinda continued.

"I believe I have said everything I need to."

The blonde made a face. "I thought you were going to forgive me."

"Oh… I did not realize I was obligated to do so."

"It would be appreciated."

Elphaba paused; she was not really in the business of forgiveness. "I… I suppose I can…"

"Can what?"

"… Forgive you."

Galinda rolled her eyes; that was most likely the best she was going to get. "Fine."

"So… we're no longer holding resentment towards each other?" Elphaba asked.

"Not at the moment," Galinda replied, though her slight smile told the green woman that she was teasing a bit.

"My revenge will have to be put on hold then."

Galinda gave her a look, and Elphaba grinned crookedly.

"So do you want to hear about what happened our not-date?"

"Ehhh…"

"I'm telling you anyway."

Elphaba groaned; Galinda chose to ignore her as she began to prepare for bed, starting with brushing her hair out.

"The restaurant was this quaint little place, not too formal, but nicer than I was dressed for, so that was embarrassing—"

"Please tell me the whole story isn't going to go this way."

"I'm just helping you visualize it."

"Thank you, but this level of detail will take longer than I have energy to remain visible."

Galinda scowled.

"Just skip ahead to the important parts."

"Well, Boq and I talked, and we've agreed that friendship is best for us."

"I'm sure that depressed him."

"He was… disappointed at first, but he understood. Oh, and we saw the Eminent Thropp. Apparently she has a tendency to throw people in jail on a whim."

Elphaba froze, not hearing anything else Galinda was saying. That name… why was it so familiar? The green woman struggled to place it, and a sudden vision of the imposing house came to her mind again. She fought to focus on it, but it seemed to content to be fleeting, and she let out a frustrated noise.

"Elphaba?"

"Nessa…"

The blonde turned to look at the Munchkin. "How did you know her name…?"

Elphaba shook her head. "I… I don't know…"

"Elphaba… have you met the Eminent Thropp before?"

"Maybe… all I can remember is a large house… maybe a mansion…"

"Well, she lives in the Colwen Grounds… maybe you've met her before." Galinda approached the verdant specter, a slight smile on her face. "Elphaba… this could help you remember your past. If you have met her before, she'll remember you for sure!" The Frottican clapped excitedly.

Elphaba nodded slowly. "Maybe…"

"Come on, Elphaba; how many other green people could there possibly be?"

The Munchkin sighed. "Hopefully none…"


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! I'll be gone next week, so there won't be an update until I come back, but I'll have the new chapter up soon after that.**

The Colwen Grounds was a rather small town built up around an impressive looking mansion. Galinda was a bit intimidated as she drove up, and she took a deep breath as she stepped out of her car. The blonde made her way up to the front door, knocking hesitantly. After a few moments, the door opened, revealing a very familiar Munchkin.

Galinda's brow furrowed at the sight. "Boq?"

"G-Galinda…"

There was a pause as the blonde tried to wrap her brain around what she was seeing. "… Why are you here?" she finally managed to ask. "I thought you were a farmer… I mean… I've been to your farm…" The Frottican looked around, half expecting someone with a camera to jump out.

"Yes… I am a farmer… this is just a side job… I only work here part time… Her Eminence needed someone to fill the position…" Boq seemed very flustered.

"But last night, you seemed so afraid of her..." It took the blonde a few more moments before it clicked. "You like her."

"Wha—no! Don't be ridiculous!"

"Boq, you've had a crush on me since Shiz; I know what it looks like. You have a thing for the Eminent Thropp." Galinda was surprised to find that she was a bit jealous. She didn't like Boq that way, so why did she care? The blonde did her best to push those thoughts from her mind.

"I am merely working here—"

"She's older than you."

"Only by five years!" The Munchkin took a moment to compose himself, his face reddening. "I do not have any feelings for the Eminent Thropp, so let's drop it. Why are you here?"

"I need to talk to her."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No—"

"Then I can't let you in."

Galinda crossed her arms. "Come on, Boq, I was just giving you a hard time—"

The Munchkin shook his head. "It has nothing to do with that. You need to have an appointment to see Her Eminence."

The Frottican sighed. "Fine. Give me the next appointment then."

Boq pulled out an Ozpad, tapping a few times. "The next appointment she has is… three months from now."

"Three months?" Galinda had to stop her jaw from dropping. "Boq, I can't wait that long. Can't you get me in sooner?"

The Munchkin shook his head. "I can't. Why do you need to see her anyway?"

Galinda opened her mouth, then closed it. She couldn't tell Boq the truth; not because she didn't trust him, but because she knew that the less people who knew about Elphaba, the better. "I need to talk to her about the granary."

"What about?" Boq's brow furrowed. "She doesn't know anything about a place like that."

"How do you know? Did she tell you?"

"No, but I know she's far too busy to be bothered to remember places like that."

"Look, I just need to talk to her for a second—"

"You can't!" Boq snapped.

Galinda was taken aback by that; she had never the Munchkin raise his voice before, and especially not at her.

Boq seemed to realize his transgression, and his expression softened. "I… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to get upset… I just can't help you."

The blonde sighed, but she knew there was no way to get past the Munchkin. "All right… just let me know if something opens up, all right?"

Boq nodded. "I will…"

A pause.

"Well, goodbye."

"Bye Boq." Galinda turned and started back for her car, wondering what she was going to tell Elphaba. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice another person coming towards her, and it was only the bumping of their shoulders that she was pulled back to reality.

"O-oh, excuse me," the Frottican stammered, finding herself looking at the dark skin of a chest that was barely showing through a white buttoned up shirt. She glanced up, seeing that the body belonged to a Vinkan male; the skin was sign enough, but the blue diamond tattoos running down one side of his face confirmed it.

"No problem," the Vinkan assured her with a smile.

The blonde managed to smile slightly back before she continued to her car; for once, she wasn't entirely in the mood to make small talk.

* * *

"Elphaba?" Galinda called upon entering the granary, closing the door behind her. "Are you here?"

"Where else would I be?" came a disembodied voice.

"I meant are you right beside me?"

"No."

A pause.

Galinda let out a huff. "Well then, where are you?"

The green woman suddenly appeared, sitting at the blonde's drafting table. "That was a short chat."

"I didn't get to see her. Apparently I need an appointment."

Elphaba shrugged. "I didn't expect her to help much anyway."

The blonde scowled, making her way over towards the Munchkin. "Something about her made you remember. She could be the key to your memory."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "You are far too optimistic, blondie."

"I have to be; it balances out your pessimism."

"All ghosts are pessimists. It sort of goes along with being dead."

"If you say so." Galinda made a face upon realizing she had neglected to go grocery shopping yet again. "I should have bought more food while I was out…"

"You still don't have any appliances."

"I am aware." The blonde began the process of preparing herself a sandwich. "Apparently Boq works for the Eminent Thropp part time."

A slim eyebrow rose. "Oh? And what does he do for her?"

"Answers the door, makes appointments… whatever job entails those things, that's what he does."

"I see. And did you know this before?"

"No! It's like he's keeping this big secret from me… and he even has feelings for her!"

"Who?"

"The Eminent Thropp! Take an interest, Elphaba!"

The green woman rolled her eyes again. "So he has a crush on her. Why do you care?"

Galinda bristled at that. "I don't care." She slapped the top piece of bread down to accent her point

"I can tell by the way you're abusing your bread."

The Frottican let out a breath, trying to calm down. "I just don't want him to get hurt. I mean, the Eminent Thropp… she isn't exactly his type."

A pause, and then, "I think I see what's going on here."

"You're dead; you're in no position to give me advice on this." Galinda shooed the green woman away so she could sit on her stool.

"I was alive once, and regardless, what's happening here is rather obvious. The fact that Boq had a crush on another woman bothers you because when he came after you, it made you feel desirable. Being able to reject him gave you this feeling of power, something you've admitted you've been lacking in your own life. Now that he likes someone else, you've lost both."

Galinda paused as she listened to the green woman. She didn't want to admit that Elphaba could be right, so once the Munchkin finished, the blonde chose not to respond.

"I'll take your silence as affirmation," Elphaba added.

"Don't make assumptions. Boq can like who he wants, and I don't care who it is; if it gets him off my back, I'm happy."

"Whatever you say blondie."

Galinda finished her sandwich before she stood. "I'm going to get groceries."

"Have fun."

"I will, thank you."

* * *

The grocery store was, by default, not entirely fun. However, Galinda was pleased to find that it was attached to a small-scale general goods store, which meant she was finally able to procure at least a microwave (and only for seventy green pennies). It was a small victory, but Galinda certainly wasn't complaining. She was, however, currently struggling a bit to get the microwave onto her cart.

"Need some help?"

Galinda looked up to see a familiar looking Vinkan smiling at her, and she realized he was the one she had bumped into at the Colwen Grounds. His offer reminded her of Roman Skarr's harsh words, and she bristled slightly.

"No thank you. I can handle it," she replied, giving the microwave box one final heave. The cart shook from the impact, and Galinda straightened up.

"I see." The Vinkan didn't look deterred, and he held out his hand. "I don't believe we had the chance to introduce ourselves earlier; I am Fiyero Tigelaar."

Galinda was a bit surprised he recognized her, but she shook the offered hand. Fiyero's grip was strong and warm, and it took the blonde a moment before she replied, "Galinda Upland."

Fiyero nodded, and their hands separated. "If you don't mind me asking, what sort of business did you have with the Eminent Thropp? You didn't look entire happy when you were leaving."

"Yes, well… I didn't even get to see her. I didn't have an appointment." Galinda didn't feel like sharing much more than that; it was already very forward of him to ask her such a question. "What business did you have with her?" If he could invade her privacy, then she would do the same back. It was only fair, wasn't it?

Fiyero smiled slightly, running a hand through his hair. "I am the representative of the Arjikis Tribe. Miss Nessarose and I… well, we've known each other for quite some time. I am her bodyguard of sorts."

"Of sorts? Are you, or aren't you?"

"I can't go into the details unfortunately. The Eminent Thropp likes her privacy, as you can imagine."

"Yes…"

There was a pause.

"Well, I suppose I had better continue with my shopping," Galinda said, feeling unexpectedly awkward. "Nice meeting you." She started to continue on, pulling out her phone to see what was next on her list.

"You know, if you really need to see the Eminent Thropp that badly, she attends chapel every Sunday morning," Fiyero said to the blonde's back.

Galinda paused, turning back around.

"I'm sure you could catch her, at least for a few minutes."

The Frottican's brow furrowed slightly. "Why are you helping me…?"

Fiyero shrugged. "Because I felt like it."

* * *

"What kind of answer is that? 'Because I felt like it'?"

Elphaba shook her head from where she was reading. "I don't know."

Galinda made a face, approaching the specter and yanking the book away. "Elphaba, this is serious!"

The Munchkin gave her a look. "When you're in serious danger of losing your life, then I'll consider it serious. Until then, everything else is merely a nuisance."

The Frottican let out a huff. "Who does he think he is anyway? I didn't ask for his help."

"Why are you even complaining in the first place? You insisted on meeting with the Eminent Thropp; he just gave you an easy in."

"I realize that, but does he have to be so… arrogant?"

"Apparently so. Can I have my book back now?"

Galinda sighed, but placed the book back in front of the green woman. "And if he was flirting with me, he's at least… at least as old as the Eminent Thropp, and she's…" The blonde paused, trying to do the math in her head.

"Twenty-seven," Elphaba supplied.

Galinda looked at her companion. "How did you know that?"

Elphaba paused. "I don't know…" she admitted. "The number just came to me…"

"See? This proves my theory that you knew the Eminent Thropp!"

"I'm sure I'm not the only one aware of her age."

"Elphaba, you've been dead for…" A pause. "How long have you been dead?"

Elphaba shrugged one shoulder. "That's a good question. As I told you before, time has no meaning to me, so I have no idea how long I've been dead. If you figure it out, let me know, would you?"

The Frottican nodded before continuing on. "You've been dead for however long, with no connection to anything outside this granary. There's no way you could have just known how old Nessarose is without having known her before."

"I suppose."

Galinda made a face, and sat across from the green woman. "Don't you care at all about figuring what happened to you? What your life was like before?"

Elphaba sighed, looking up from her book. "Whatever life I led before doesn't matter… it won't change anything."

"But—"

"And what if I do remember? Maybe my life was so horrible that I chose to forget it to avoid being tormented for the rest of my existence."

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

Elphaba sighed. "I don't know what to believe…"

Galinda frowned, wishing once again she could take the green woman's hand. "Elphaba… I know that I have no idea what you've been through… or are currently going through… but I think a part of you does want to know what happened. I mean… I can't imagine what it's like to have nothing… not even memories to look back on… in the middle of the night."

The green woman looked at her companion, finding it hard to believe that Galinda had such an interest in helping her. "Why do you care so much?"

"Because like it or not, we're in this together, Elphaba. I didn't ask for this, but here I am, and you need my help, whether you want to admit it or not."

Elphaba shook her head slightly, though she was smiling. "You're not at all what I expected."

Galinda smiled back. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Take it however you wish; now I believe we should celebrate the fact that your days of eating exclusively sandwiches are over. Congratulations, blondie."

The blonde rolled her eyes, but she had to admit, it would be nice to eat hot food again.

* * *

When Galinda's alarm went off at six-thirty Sunday morning, she let out a groan, groping around for her phone. Upon finding said object, she silenced the alarm, pulling her blanket up with the intention of falling back asleep.

"That's a rather early alarm for you."

"Elphaba… go away…"

"Much easier said than done." Elphaba turned herself corporeal long enough to yank the blanket off of the blonde. "Come on, there must have been a reason you set your alarm this early on a Sunday."

"Why does the Eminent Thropp have to go to chapel so early…?" Galinda mumbled.

"You could just leave the issue alone."

Galinda sat up, glaring at Elphaba wearily.

"You're not very intimidating with your bed head," the green woman continued.

Galinda muttered something incoherent before she stood, stretching with a yawn. After getting dressed and almost falling down the stairs, the blonde was ready to head out.

"Remind me to buy a coffee maker sometime soon…"

* * *

Upon arriving at the chapel, Galinda found that the service had just ended, and people were filing out. Worrying that she had perhaps missed Nessarose, the blonde hurried inside, finding the chapel nearly empty. Her footsteps echoed off the high ceiling as she made her way down the aisle, her gaze falling on someone near the front who was lighting a candle. Upon getting closer, Galinda saw that they were in a wheelchair, and she let out a sigh of relief. However, a new thought occurred to her: was it all right for her to just interrupt the brunette? What if she was praying? Should she wait?

Unable to decide, Galinda stood awkwardly behind her, hoping she wasn't being disturbing.

"Can I help you?"

Well, that ship had obviously sailed. Galinda pinked a bit as the Eminent Thropp turned her chair around.

"I-I apologize for disturbing you… I had tried to get an appointment, but I couldn't, so I thought—"

"You thought you'd disturb me in the Unnamed God's house?"

"I didn't mean to…"

Nessarose let out a sigh, crossing her arms. "What is it that you want?"

"I just want to know if you've ever met someone named Elphaba before."

"Where did you hear that name?" Nessa asked sharply. Galinda noticed that her demeanor had changed; her dark eyes had widened, and her nostrils were flaring a bit.

"I… did you know her?"

There was pause before, "No… no, I don't know who that is."

That took Galinda aback a bit. "Are you sure? Maybe you'd remember better if—"

"I said I don't know that person!" The Eminent Thropp took a breath, composing herself. "I am sorry I could not help you." She unlocked the brakes on her chair before wheeling past the blonde and outside the chapel, leaving Galinda to let out a sigh and wonder what she was trying to hide.

* * *

"How did you chat with the Eminent Thropp go?"

Galinda looked up at the voice, seeing the green woman materialize at the foot of the stairs. She paused, wondering if she should tell Elphaba the truth; how would the Munchkin react to learning that Nessarose had lied about knowing her?

"She… she wasn't entirely helpful," Galinda finally said.

"As I expected."

The Frottican gave the green woman a look. "She's hiding something."

A slim eyebrow rose. "Oh?"

"Yes, and I am going to find out what it is."

"Careful blondie; you're not dealing with an average citizen here."

"I am aware." Galinda went to where she kept her food, rummaging around before finding the pasta bowl she'd been looking for. Now that she had a microwave, her food choices were a bit less limited (she still needed some sort of refrigeration though).

"Tell me how you plan to get around the Eminent Thropp," Elphaba said, approaching her companion. "I'd like to hear this."

The clock on the microwave flashed, and Galinda gave the green woman a look.

"Sorry." Elphaba backed up and disappeared.

"And to answer your question, I have my sources."

"I find that hard to believe, seeing as you've been living in Munchkinland for less than a month."

"Well, I am from Frottica, and those from the Upper Uplands have a proclivity for socializing and making connections."

"I see."

Galinda could practically hear Elphaba roll her eyes, and as her pasta began to cook, she turned around, trying to figure out where the Munchkin was. "It's a useful skill to have."

"Yes, I'm sure you put it all over your resume."

The blonde made a face, crossing her arms. "If you're not going to help—"

"I can leave? Sorry blondie, I've tried that before. It doesn't work."

There was a pause, which was broken by the sound of the microwave beeping, alerting Galinda to the fact that her food was done. The blonde chose to turn back around, opening the microwave and retrieving her food. She carried it over to her drafting table, sitting on the stool and stirring the pasta with her fork.

"But seriously though, what are you planning?"

"I'm not sure yet, but if Miss Nessarose is keeping secrets, then I am going to find out what they are."

There was the sound of Elphaba sighing. "Just be careful, all right? I'm not worth getting into trouble over."

"You know me; always careful."


	6. Chapter 6

**So my vacation was pushed back a week, so instead of missing an update this week, there will be no update next week.**

"I must admit, Miss Galinda, I was a bit surprised when you called… though I was more surprised by the fact that you managed to get my number. How did you accomplish that?"

Galinda looked down at the coffee in her hands. "I have my ways. After all, Frotticans are known for being quite adept in such social settings."

Fiyero smiled at that. "Yes, I suppose so. Well, let's not dwell on how we got here; tell me why it is you have asked to meet with me."

The blonde opened her mouth, but the sound of the barista calling his name prompted the Vinkan to rise before Galinda could answer.

"Hold that thought," he said before went to the counter, picking up his drink and bringing it back to the table.

In the time he was gone, the Frottican planned her response. She couldn't tell Fiyero about Elphaba, not right away; it was the same reason she had asked him to meet at this coffee shop rather than the granary. She wasn't sure if anyone was ready to see Elphaba in her current state. To be honest, Galinda had been a bit afraid that he wouldn't show; after all, they had only encountered one another twice, and she hadn't been entirely civil either time. Still, it seemed Fiyero was willing to forgive her behavior, because here he was.

"No cream or sugar?" Galinda noted, wrinkling her nose a bit as Fiyero sat back down.

"I just prefer the syrup they add," the Vinkan replied before he took a sip. "Now, you were about to answer my question, yes?"

Galinda fiddled with her cup. "The tip you gave me about the Eminent Thropp attending chapel… well, I found her."

"Did she brush you off?"

"Not per say…"

"Then what happened, per say?"

Galinda sighed. "We did manage to speak for a moment or two, but she closed up when I asked her if she knew someone… she became very irate and left quite suddenly."

"I see." Fiyero took another drink from his cup. "Perhaps she was in one of her moods. She gets those, as you can imagine."

The Frottican shook her head. "I don't think so… I think she just didn't want to talk."

"Well, what was this name you mentioned?"

Galinda paused, wondering if she should take this chance again, and risk exposing her new roommate. Still, if there was a chance that Fiyero could help her… help Elphaba…

"I asked if she recalled ever meeting someone named Elphaba…"

Fiyero's eyes widened as he inhaled sharply; his reaction reminded Galinda very much of Nessa. "Have you heard from her? Seen some sign of her?"

Well, that wasn't a denial of knowing her. "I take it you know who she is…"

The Vinkan paused before leaning back in his seat. "I… I have heard that name before, but all I know is that she went missing…"

And there it was; the lie. Galinda was beginning to wonder why people were acting this way when she brought the green woman up. "That's all you know?"

"That's all." Fiyero stood suddenly, taking the blonde by surprise. "I apologize, but I must be going. Thank you for a lovely morning."

Galinda stood, perhaps to try and stop him, but the Vinkan was gone, leaving the blonde to let out a sigh as she hit another dead end.

* * *

"And where did we scurry off to this morning?"

Galinda made a face as she closed the front door behind her. "I did not scurry."

Elphaba materialized on the stool near her drafting table with a shrug. "That's a matter of opinion, but my question sill stands."

"Why are you so nosy?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm dead, therefore I am out of touch with the outside world. You're my only connection to what's happening out there."

Galinda felt a bit guilty at snapping at the green woman when she heard that. She couldn't imagine being cooped up here for years, unable to leave. "I went to have coffee with someone who works for Nessarose in hopes that could shed more light on your mysterious past."

"And did this mystery person shed any light?"

The Frottican sighed. "They only created more questions, I'm afraid."

"I see…" There was a pause. "Galinda… you don't have to do this, you know…"

"Don't start again."

"But maybe you should just let it go… people don't seem willing to talk, and I don't want you to become consumed by this."

Galinda rolled her eyes. "Now you're exaggerating."

"Galinda—"

"We're not going to have this discussion again, Elphaba. I am going to help you remember your past—"

"Against my will."

"It will be good for you."

"What do I care, I'm dead."

Galinda let out a frustrated sigh. "You're very difficult for a ghost, do you realize that?"

Elphaba smiled slightly. "I think that's the definition of a ghost, blondie."

The Frottican would have replied, but a knock on the door stopped her. "We're not done here," she told the Munchkin as she went to open the door. Upon opening it, Galinda found herself face-to-face with her three "friends".

"Galinda!"

The blonde slammed the door with a slight shriek, her heart pounding.

_Why are they here?! I can't let them see how I live! This is absolutely mortifying!_

"That wasn't very polite," Elphaba commented from where she had moved to the stairs. "I take it you don't want to see these people?"

"I am not prepared for any visitors, especially those… ninnies!"

A slim eyebrow rose. "I do not think I am getting the full story here."

Galinda gave her a look. "Those girls are the most judgmental people you will ever meet."

"I doubt I will be meeting them personally—"

"If they see my current living conditions, they will never let me hear the end of it!"

Elphaba shrugged. "Who cares what they think?"

"I care!"

"Well, you shouldn't. Go ahead and let them in."

"I don't trust you!"

Elphaba grinned. "Whyever not?"

"Elphaba , please…"

The Munchkin rolled her eyes, putting her hands up in defense. "Please, spare me that pleading look. I'll behave myself." The green woman disappeared, and after a moment, Galinda composed herself and opened the door once again.

"So sorry girls; sometimes this old door just snaps closed. I'm lucky I haven't lost any fingers yet!"

The four laughed at that, with Galinda's being the most nervous.

"Galinda, you haven't called us at all," Pfannee said as the three entered the granary. "We were beginning to worry."

"Yes, well… I've been rather busy," the blonde replied, watching the three as they moved about. "If you had alerted me to the fact you were going to visit, I could have prepared better…"

"Well, we were going to wait for an invitation, but when we didn't receive one, we decided we should check up on you."

"Is this really where you live?" Milla asked, looking as though she were scared to touch anything.

"I know it isn't the Gillikin, but I like it here… it isn't all bad. I have the whole place to myself—"

The sound of thumping on the stairs interrupted the blonde, and startled the others.

"And restoring the building will be good experience," Galinda finished.

"Well, I think it's quaint," Pfannee said, seeming to have recovered from her scare. "Though it does seem to hold up the Munchkinland stereotype, doesn't it?"

Galinda smiled nervously as the others laughed, and her gaze fell on an open bottle of water that seemed to be floating in midair, moving towards Pfannee. The Frottican lunged for it, yanking it away and causing her friends to stare.

"May I offer you some water?" the blonde said quickly, holding the bottle out.

"Thank you; the drive here was rather dusty." Pfannee took the bottle, and Galinda fetched two others for Shenshen and Milla, shooting scowls when she could and hoping one reached the green woman.

"But seriously Galinda," Pfannee started after she had sufficiently quenched her thirst, "when are you coming back? You can't possibly be happy here."

"I… I don't know if I'll be back for a while," Galinda admitted.

"Does this project really mean so much to you?"

The blonde nodded. "I'm already fully invested in it; I can't leave now."

"Of course…"

A silence passed between them, interrupted by the sound of a chair being dragged across the upper floor.

"The wind," Galinda supplied. "I'll be right back." She quickly rushed upstairs, giving the chair a death glare, causing it to promptly stop moving. "You said you would behave," she hissed.

"Well, you seemed so embarrassed, I thought I would help get rid of them for you," came the disembodied voice.

"I don't need you scaring them away, thank you!"

"But that's my specialty."

"Just… behave yourself for the rest of their visit, or I am taking all my books away."

"Fine."

Galinda headed back downstairs, where her friends were giving her questioning looks. "This place has a lot wrong with it; you can see why it needs my help."

"Yes…" A pause. "Are you sure you don't want to come home with us?"

"I've made up my mind; I'll leave once my work here is done," Galinda replied.

"All right, if you must."

The four said their goodbyes, and once the door was closed behind them, the blonde let out a sigh.

"Well, that was fun, wasn't it?"

Galinda turned to find Elphaba sitting on the stairs, looking quite pleased with herself.

"I need a drink."

* * *

"_What do you mean, gone? How do you lose a person?!"_

"_She lost us in the crowd… we don't know where she went."_

"_Well, find her then!"_

"Your Eminence?"

Nessa was pulled from her thoughts at the voice, and she turned towards it. "Fiyero… I apologize, I was… lost in my thoughts."

The Vinkan nodded. "It's all right. I came to tell you that Master Skarr is here to see you again."

The brunette sighed. "Yes… well, I suppose I shouldn't keep him waiting." Nessa unlocked the brakes on her chair before wheeling out from behind her desk and out of the room, heading for the main sitting room. Her gaze fell on Master Skarr, who stood at the sight of her.

"Your Eminence," he said, giving her a slight bow.

"If you're here in regards to your proposal, my answer is still no," the brunette replied. "Munchkinland does not need to 'progress' any further."

Roman paused, his grip tightening a bit on his hat. "But if you look over the figures—"

"I have, and I do not believe Munchkinland will benefit from the addition of a… how did you put it… 'a luxurious resort in the heart of the Corn Basket'."

"If you would be reasonable for a moment—"

"I have been nothing but reasonable with you, but you are trying my patience."

"Miss Nessarose—"

"Your Eminence."

Roman paused, trying to hold his neutral expression. "Your Eminence, if I may—"

"You may not." Nessa unlocked her brakes and gave him a nod. "We're done here." She began to turn away, intent on leaving.

"You can't do this to me!" Roman said, catching her chair and stopping her.

Fiyero leapt forward, prepared to take him to the floor, but Nessa put a hand up to stop him.

"Unhand me."

Roman released her chair, his anger showing through. "I am family—"

Nessa shot him a withering look. "Not my family."

Roman looked like he had more to say, but remained silent.

"Master Tigelaar will show you out. Good day, Master Skarr," Nessa continued before she wheeled from the room.

Later that day found Nessa sitting at her desk, though very little work was actually getting done. Her encounter with Master Skarr was still weighing heavily on her mind, and it didn't help that that woman in the chapel had brought up Elphaba.

"You seem troubled."

Nessa looked up, seeing Fiyero approach her desk. "Master Skarr is a very stubborn man."

"Indeed." A pause. "Is that what you're worried about?"

The brunette shook her head. "No… it's not as if he can do anything without my okay anyway."

Fiyero nodded, but could tell that Nessa was still hung up on something. "Is that all?"

Nessa was silent for a long moment. "Do you ever think about her?" she finally asked softly.

The Vinkan was puzzled for a moment, but then he understood. "At least once a day."

The brunette nodded. "I just think… what if we never find out what happened to her?"

"We will."

"It's been ten years—"

"You can't give up hope."

"Hope…" Nessa shook her head. "I pray every day that some sign will show up… something to tell us what happened that night… my hope has been exhausted, Fiyero."

The Vinkan's expression softened, and he took the brunette's hand. "I know it hasn't been easy, but we can't give up. We'll find her… I made your family a promise back then, and I intend to keep it."

Nessa managed to smile slightly. "Thank you…"

* * *

Galinda let out a sigh as she lowered her glass, shaking her head when the bartender offered her a refill. After today, she needed space from both the granary and Elphaba herself.

"Galinda?"

The blonde looked up at the voice, seeing Boq approaching. "Hey…"

"I see Shiz isn't so far behind us," the Munchkin said, sitting in the stool beside her and ordering his own drink.

"I just needed to get away."

"I see…" Boq sipped at his drink, glancing over at the blonde. "Anything you want to talk about?"

Galinda sighed, wondering if she should let someone in on her secret… it wasn't even her secret, not entirely. It was Elphaba's, and she didn't seem like she wanted anyone else to know.

"A few of my friends dropped by unexpectedly… they tried to convince me to move back home… leave the granary behind…" Galinda let out a sigh. "I don't know, maybe they're right…"

"You can't let them change your mind; what you're doing is admirable. You're preserving a historic landmark."

"Yes, one that is in the middle of nowhere and will never be seen." Galinda sighed again. "I need to start gathering tools so I can get to work… hopefully that will make this all seem easier."

Boq nodded in agreement, and there was a silence between them.

"Listen… what happened with the Eminent Thropp the other day… I wasn't trying to be rude—"

"It's all right; you were just doing your job."

"I still feel bad… how can I make it up to you?"

Galinda let out a short laugh. "Get me inside the Colwen grounds."

A pause, and then, "Okay."

* * *

"You have about five minutes before the Eminent Thropp comes back," Boq said, his voice hushed as he opened the door to Nessarose's study, "so move quickly."

Galinda nodded before she slipped inside, glancing around before she moved towards the desk. Her eyes scanned the spines of the books on the shelves, but none seemed incriminating. The blonde turned towards the desk, finding with some dismay that most of the drawers had locks on them. She wasn't sure entirely what she was looking for; something that would prove Nessarose knew Elphaba maybe.

"Galinda, hurry up!" she heard Boq hiss.

The Frottican shuffled through a few papers, but there was nothing outwardly obvious about Elphaba.

"She's coming back!"

The blonde let out a somewhat frustrated sigh, wishing she could find something, a scrap of evidence. Her gaze fell on a small box that didn't seem to belong; the ornate pattern was a bit worn, and based on what she had seen, the Eminent Thropp didn't seem the sentimental type. Without a second thought, the blonde grabbed the box and shoved it into her purse before she quickly exited the room.

"You were cutting that rather fine," Boq hissed as the two made their way towards the back entrance.

"Relax; she didn't catch us, and she'll be none the wiser."

The two reached the door, and Boq opened it for the Frottican, letting her outside.

"I hope you found what you were looking for," he said.

"We'll find out…"

* * *

"Elphaba, are you here?" Galinda called out almost excitedly as she closed the granary door behind her. She started up the stairs, the wood creaking underneath her. "Elphaba!"

The green woman materialized in front of a book, looking a bit confused. "Well, you certainly seem excited. This is odd behavior from you towards me."

Galinda waved her off before she sat across from the Munchkin, setting her purse beside her. "So Boq apparently felt bad about not being able to help me see the Eminent Thropp, so he let me into her office—"

"That can't be legal."

"No one caught us, and it was only for a few minutes. Anyway, I saw something that didn't really fit, so I grabbed it."

"You stole from her?" Elphaba looked somewhat appalled "Now I know that's not legal."

"Borrowing, Elphaba. I'm borrowing for the greater good."

The green woman rolled her eyes, obviously not convinced. "If you say so; care to explain why you're telling me this? I can't be prosecuted as an accomplice, if that's what you were hoping for."

It was Galinda's turn to roll her eyes. "Just work with me here, all right?"

"When have I done anything else?"

Galinda gave her a look before she pulled the box from her purse, setting it in front of the green woman.

"This is it?" Elphaba said, looking at the box somewhat critically, an eyebrow raised. "This is what you broke the law for?"

"Would you please just look at it?"

Elphaba sighed, but made herself corporeal, picking the box up. As she looked at the worn pattern, something in the back of her mind stirred. Her brow furrowed, and she opened the box, causing a tinkling song to begin playing. Dark eyes widened slightly, and the Munchkin knew she had heard that song before.

"This… this was mine… someone gave it to me…"

"Who?"

Elphaba shook her head. "I can't remember… it used to sit by my bed…" The Munchkin looked up at the blonde. "Why would Nessa have this?"

"I don't know…" A pause as another realization came to the blonde. "Elphaba… everyone calls her either the Eminent Thropp or Nessarose… but you're the only one who calls her Nessa…"

The green woman shrugged. "It's the only name of hers that's stuck in my mind… I don't know why."

Galinda sighed, crossing her arms. "Well, this proves the Eminent Thropp was lying to me before… she does know you."

"She said she didn't?"

The blonde paused, realizing she had never told Elphaba the truth. "She denied knowing you when I asked… though I had a feeling she had been lying to me, and now I know I was right." The Frottican let out another sigh. "The only question now is why did she have something of yours."

Elphaba shook her head, closing the box and stopping the haunting music. "Maybe we shouldn't press this any further."

"No, Elphaba, we've come this far; we're going to figure this out… I promise you."


	7. Chapter 7

The moment Nessa entered her office the next day, she could tell right away that something wasn't right. She wasn't entirely sure what it was, but something was indeed off.

"What is it?" the brunette muttered as she wheeled over to her desk, her eyes scanning the area. They soon fell on the empty space where the music box had been, and Nessa inhaled sharply. After a few minutes of frantic searching, the brunette had to face the fact that it was indeed gone, and she did her best to remain calm.

"Fiyero!"

The Vinkan came running in a few moments later, startled by the Eminence's tone. "What is it?"

"I can't find it!"

"Find what?"

"The music box! It always sits on my desk, and now it's gone!"

Fiyero raised an eyebrow; he didn't entirely appreciate being summoned for this. "Calm down; maybe you just misplaced it—"

"I do not misplace things!" Nessa shot back angrily. "That music box is important to me; it belonged to our mother. Now either help me find it, or find someone who will!"

* * *

It was the sound of Galinda's phone going off that drew Elphaba from where she had been reading. The green woman looked up at the blonde, who was still asleep.

"Galinda," the Munchkin called, but the blonde remained asleep.

Her phone rang again, and Elphaba made a face before standing, going over to where the Frottican was.

"Galinda, wake up."

Her roommate merely giggled at something in her dream before rolling over.

Elphaba rolled her eyes before she made herself corporeal long enough to lift one end of the blonde's mattress, dumping her onto the floor.

Galinda let out a shriek as she was rudely awakened by the action and she glared at the offender. "What was that for?!"

"Your phone is ringing."

"So you dumped me onto the floor?"

"Well, I did call your name twice, but that didn't work."

Galinda scowled at her before turning her attention to her still ringing phone. She picked it up, holding it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Galinda, listen, I'm sorry if I woke you, but we have a problem."

"Boq, it's only eight in the morning."

"Nessarose found out about the missing music box, and she is freaking out. You have to return it!"

Galinda frowned; she had not expected Nessarose to discover that so quickly. Perhaps it meant more than she had realized…

"I can't… not right now."

"Galinda—"

"Look, just buy me whatever time you can, okay? I promise I'll bring it back soon."

The Munchkin on the other end sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"That makes two of us…" The blonde hung up with a sigh, prompting her verdant companion to raise an eyebrow.

"Sounds like someone is in trouble," Elphaba commented.

"Nessarose discovered the missing music box, and she's apparently taking it harder than I anticipated…"

"You should have known better than to steal from her…"

"I did it to help you!"

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "All right, well, you have to return it."

"Wha—but it's yours!"

"We don't know that for sure—"

"Elphaba, I saw your face when you held that box; some part of your memory returned. That music box is yours, and if Nessarose is hiding something, then you have a right to know."

Elphaba sighed. "You really are determined, aren't you?"

"I thought I made that perfectly clear before; you seem to be the one who keeps forgetting."

The green woman rolled her eyes. "All right, so you're not going to return the music box. What do you plan to do then?"

Galinda shrugged. "I haven't thought that far ahead yet."

"Why am I not surprised?"

The blonde shot her a look. "I'm making this up as I go, all right?"

"Obviously."

* * *

As it turned out, Galinda didn't have much of a plan; life continued on normally (as normally as it could) for the next two weeks. The Frottican continued to work at Boq's farm, and was constantly subjected to his nervous musings about Nessarose figuring out that he had helped in the disappearance of the music box. However, despite that, the Munchkin began to provide the blonde with building supplies such as extra wood and bricks that he had lying about; Galinda had faced the fact that she did need to actually begin working on the granary sometime.

The Frottican had to admit she hadn't given much more thought to her plans for the granary; she had been busy trying to furnish her new home with what she believed to be necessities. She now had a small refrigerator, a coffee maker, and a camping stove.

"I'm beginning to wonder if you really came here to fix the place up, or just to find a cheap place to live," Elphaba commented one day.

"My intention is the same as when I arrived."

"You're hanging a picture of a scenic view of the Emerald City at night."

"Isn't it pretty?" Galinda admired, taking a step back.

"Galinda."

"Hey, fixing this place up isn't going to be easy, and if I must be forced to live here, then I intend to make it comfortable and homey."

The Munchkin rolled her eyes. "I didn't realize living here was so terrible."

"Well, we can't all be dead and require very little."

"You say that as if you're complaining."

Galinda sighed, turning towards her roommate. "Elphaba, you know what I meant."

The green woman was silent for a bit before saying, "We share this space, you know. You could at least check with me before you start hanging things."

The blonde smiled slightly. "I suppose that's only fair. What would you like to have on the walls?"

Elphaba paused in thought for a bit before saying, "A map of Oz."

Galinda nodded. "I think I have one at my home in Frottica." She pulled her phone from her pocket, beginning to dial her parents' number. "I'll ask my mother to send it here."

"You don't have a mailbox," Elphaba pointed out. "Or an address, for that matter."

Galinda scowled at her. "I'll have her send it to the post office then."

"Do you have a box there?"

"Yes I do, for your information."

A pause, in which Elphaba noticed Galinda had yet to press the call button.

"You don't have one, do you?" she said with a slight grin.

Galinda flushed, shoving her phone back in her pocket. "Shush yourself." She went to grab her purse, starting for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To the post office…" Galinda ignored the green woman laughing as she closed the door, walking to her car and starting it up.

Elphaba heard the blonde drive away, and she shook her head. She didn't mean to give Galinda a hard time, but the Frottican made it rather easy sometimes. Still, it was in an endearing way, and Elphaba found herself growing a bit fond of the blonde. She was good company at least, after all the time the green woman had spent alone.

There was the sound of the door opening, and Elphaba was about to make a comment about the blonde forgetting something when she realized that those footsteps sounded far too heavy to belong to Galinda. The green woman turned, making sure she wasn't visible, and her gaze fell on a familiar man, the one who had been here the first day to show Galinda the granary. What was his name… something Skarr…

The man looked around the room before heading upstairs, and the green woman followed, wondering what he was up to. He looked around the upper floor, his gaze falling on the music box beside the mattress. He moved over to it, stooping down to pick it up.

"You're still here, aren't you?" he said, turning around. He pulled something from his pocket, and as he set it down, Elphaba realized it was a crystal. It trembled a bit before sliding across the floor, stopping at her feet. The green woman suddenly found herself unable to move, and she could feel energy being forced into her, making her visible.

"Hello Elphaba."

"How do you know about me?"

"You don't remember me; that's to be expected."

Something in Elphaba's memory struggled to surface, but trying to focus on it only yielded blurred pictures.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Many things, but there is no point in telling you." He looked around the room again. "Your blonde friend has really spruced this place up, hasn't she?"

"You leave Galinda alone."

"Please, Elphaba, I have no intention of harming her. I merely want her out so I can reduce this place to the pile of rubble it should be; let's see you haunt that." Master Skarr looked down at the music box in his hands. "This little trinket certainly seems important to both you and Miss Nessarose… it would be a shame to destroy it. However, if I chose something that had meaning only to you, for example…" He pulled a wood carving of a sparrow from his pocket, and Elphaba's eyes widened slightly. "You remember this, don't you?"

"_Look, Fabala, it's a bird. You have to be gentle with it…"_

That voice… she knew who it belonged to… the green woman wracked her brain, desperately searching for a face to match.

"I see it's a bit fuzzy." Master Skarr set the figure on the floor before lifting his foot, and Elphaba realized a moment too late what he meant to do.

"No!"

Master Skarr brought his foot down, splintering the wood and crushing the sparrow. Elphaba let out a cry, surprised as she felt a searing pain shoot through her.

"It hurts you, doesn't it? Having something of yours destroyed."

"N-no," Elphaba growled through gritted teeth.

Master Skarr shook his head. "You're stubborn, just like your mother was."

The green woman froze at the mention of her mother, and an image of a woman with long, dark coffee colored hair came to her.

"No matter; the longer you and Miss Galinda hold out, the more pain you both will be in."

"I-I'll tell her… about this… and you…"

"You won't remember any of this, Elphaba; after all, ignorance is bliss." Master Skarr picked up the crystal, and the green woman felt her strength rapidly leaving her. Though she struggled to remain conscious, it was a losing battle, and the last thing she saw was the music box sitting in front of her, the haunting melody accompanying her into the darkness.

* * *

"All right, Miss Smart Ass, I called my parents and they're sending the map to the post office, where I do have a box now," Galinda announced upon entering the granary.

There was no reply.

"Elphaba?" Galinda's brow furrowed as she looked around the room, but there was no sign of the green woman. The blonde made her way up the stairs, but the Munchkin didn't seem to be there either. "If you're planning some sort of prank to scare me, I don't appreciate it." The Frottican looked around to see if anything appeared amiss, but everything was as she had left it. The only thing that had moved was the music box; it was now sitting by the stairs, the lid open.

"Elphaba?" she called again, picking the box up.

"Glin…"

The voice was soft and weak, and for a moment or two, Galinda wasn't entirely sure if she'd actually heard anything.

"Elphaba? Is that you?"

There was no response, and the blonde felt a sense of fear begin to settle over her. Something wasn't right… Galinda quickly moved to switch on the lamp before looking around again, her heart pounding in her chest.

Slowly, the green woman came into view, and Galinda saw her lying at the top of the stairs.

"Elphaba!" The Frottican rushed to her side, kneeling beside her. "Are you all right?"

"No; I'm dead, remember?"

Galinda scowled. "Why were you just lying there? I must have walked right through you!"

"How rude."

"What happened?"

After a few more moments (during which Elphaba could feel her energy slowly returning), the Munchkin sat up. "I don't remember…"

That was troubling, to say the least. "You don't recall how you ended up lying at the top of the stairs?"

Elphaba shook her head. "No… the last thing I remember was you leaving… and then it's blank…"

Galinda frowned; something had to have happened while she was gone.

The green woman let out a sigh before disappearing.

"Elphaba—"

"I'm sorry… I'm exhausted… I can't…" Her voice was fading out, and soon it was gone. The lamp suddenly went out, and when the blonde went to investigate, she found that the light bulb was dead. Whatever had happened to Elphaba had been enough to drain all the energy she had; even all the energy from the light bulb couldn't sustain her.

"I'm sorry, Elphaba…" Galinda said aloud, unsure if the green woman could hear her. "I'll find out what happened… I promise."

* * *

Galinda did not see Elphaba for the next few days; whatever had transpired while she was gone had taken quite a toll on the green woman. The blonde was concerned, of course, but there was nothing she could do except leave her lamp on and replace the bulb when it burnt out.

As the week came to an end, Galinda headed back to the post office, finding that her package had arrived. After heading back home (and picking up more light bulbs just in case), the blonde opened the tube, extracting the map and unrolling it. The blonde looked around, finally deciding to put it on the wall above her drafting table. However, dealing with the rather large paper was more difficult than hanging the picture had been, and she found herself struggling to hold the sides up, seeing as they had an inclination to roll in on themselves.

"Oh, you fool thing," the blonde growled.

One side of the map was suddenly flat against the wall, and Galinda stared before hearing, "I don't see how you ever managed on your own."

"Elphaba…?"

"Unless you have other specters in your life, yes."

The blonde smiled as the green woman appeared, holding the map up. "You're all right…"

Elphaba glanced at her, knowing that if she could blush, she would be. "I don't see why you were so worried, blondie. It's not like anything else can happen to me."

Galinda didn't reply, instead just grateful to finally see the green woman again.

The Munchkin looked back at the wall, surprised she could feel scrutinized even in her spectral form. "Now hurry up before I lose what energy I have and this falls again."

* * *

Nessa had accepted by now that the music box was gone, a fact that was weighing heavily on her mind. Fiyero had tried to console her of course, but there was little he could do; he understood why it had meant so much to the brunette.

"Do you need anything else?" Fiyero asked one night as darkness settled over Oz, marking the end of another day.

Nessa shook her head. "No… thank you, Fiyero."

The Vinkan gave her a smile and a slight bow before he left the room, and the Eminent Thropp turned her attention to her intercom, pushing the button.

"Boq, bring in my tea please."

"Right away, Your Eminence."

A few minutes later, the Munchkin entered, carrying a tray that held a teapot and a teacup, as well as a small plate of cookies. Nessa raised an eyebrow at the sight, and Boq flushed slightly.

"You've seemed down lately… so I baked you some cookies…" he explained.

"Oh… thank you." The brunette poured herself some tea before she picked up the cup with a sigh.

"Do… do you need anything else?" Boq asked.

Nessa was about to reply when she noticed his eyes flashing towards the empty space on her desk… actually, now that she thought about it, he had been acting rather nervous ever since the music box went missing.

"Actually, I'd like to ask you something," the brunette replied, lowering her cup. "As I'm sure you've heard, something of mine was taken a while ago… you wouldn't have happened to have seen something the night it went missing, did you?"

Boq could feel his face growing hot. She had figured it out! He had warned Galinda this would happen! "I… I don't recall…" he said weakly.

Nessa's eyes narrowed a bit. "I wouldn't advise lying to me. I'm going to ask you again, and keep in mind that this will be the last time: did you see what happened to my music box?"

* * *

"So I went to the library and picked up a few books on the history of Munchkin architecture."

"I would have thought an architecture major such as yourself would already know."

Galinda gave her roommate a look. "I don't know everything."

"Well that's obvious."

"And to think I picked up a few books for you," the Frottican said, pulling three books out of her bag.

The green woman paused, looking at the blonde. "Oh?"

"Ah, changed your tone now, didn't you?"

Elphaba did her best to remain indifferent, despite the fact that she was having trouble believing Galinda was continuing to watch out for her; still, after everything that had happened, she supposed she shouldn't really be surprised.

"Well, what did you get?"

"No, you have to apologize first."

"Sorry."

Galinda made a face. "That was hardly genuine."

"You didn't say I had to mean it."

"Elphaba!"

"What?"

The Frottican shook her head. "You're terrible."

"Hence why I remain here to haunt this place and anyone who enters."

Galinda rolled her eyes. "I had no idea ghosts could be so dramatic."

"Can I have my books now?"

"You haven't earned them."

Elphaba made a face before disappearing, and Galinda soon felt a tug at the books in her hands.

"No, Elphaba, stop it!" she said, pulling the books away, only to feel it again. "Elphaba!"

The green woman suddenly appeared, making herself corporeal so she could get a firm grasp on the books, but at that moment, Galinda decided to tackle her. The Munchkin was so surprised that she disappeared again, and the blonde landed on the mattress.

"You should know better blondie," the green woman said, soon reappearing, though the incident had taken her by surprise. She had never been touched in her corporeal state… she had forgotten what it felt like to even be touched by another person.

"Yes, well, you were being difficult," the blonde replied, sitting up and recalling how it had felt to touch the Munchkin. Not as cold as she had expected… Galinda stood up and held the books out to her roommate. "I suppose you can have these."

Elphaba took them before sitting down and setting them on the floor, looking at the covers.

"I bought them second hand… so they might not be in the best shape… but they're yours to keep…"

"Thank you…"

There was a sudden knock at the door, and Elphaba disappeared as Galinda made her way downstairs, opening the door and revealing Fiyero.

"Fiyero—"

"I'm not here to socialize," the Vinkan said, his expression not entirely happy. "You need to come with me."

Galinda could feel her stomach sinking. "What is this about?"

"The Eminent Thropp has requested to speak to you."

Galinda had a feeling it wasn't a friendly request in the slightest.


	8. Chapter 8

It was not a pleasant drive to the Colwen Grounds. Sitting alone in the backseat, Galinda's hands fidgeted nervously as she watched the darkened landscape go by. She supposed she should have known that Nessarose would eventually figure it out… now the question was what would she do? Would she believe the blonde if she told her the truth? Would she have her arrested? Imprisonment would not agree with the Frottican, she was sure of that.

The car came to a stop, and Galinda looked up.

"We're here," Fiyero said, exiting the car and going around to open Galinda's door. The blonde stepped up, looking up at the imposing building; at night, it seemed to loom over her even more than remembered. She took a deep breath before she followed Fiyero inside, their footsteps echoing off the walls. Upon reaching the closed door of Nessarose's study, Fiyero caught her arm gently, stopping her.

"Listen… just tell her the truth, all right? She's not a bad person… I'm sure she'll understand if you're honest," he said.

Galinda nodded, her mouth feeling dry.

The Vinkan nodded as well before he knocked on the door. "Your Eminence, I am here with Miss Galinda."

There was a pause, and Galinda let herself hope for a few moments that perhaps Nessarose had fallen asleep or stepped out and forgotten this whole business, but tat was quickly dashed by the brunette replying, "Come in."

Fiyero opened the door, gesturing for Galinda to enter first, which she did. Her gaze fell on the brunette sitting behind her desk, hands folded in front of her. Upon seeing the blonde, Nessa's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You're the one from the chapel…"

The Frottican nodded, feeling very small.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush with you; I know you stole my music box. I know that you went to school with Boq, and that he helped you; you two are friends."

"Your Eminence, please don't be mad at Boq. He didn't want to help me, I made him—"

"He helped you regardless, and I have spoken to him. We are here to talk about what you have done." The Eminent Thropp crossed her arms. "You are not a Munchkin, are you?"

"No… Frottican."

"Oh." Nessarose's tone said it all; she saw Galinda as one of "those" people. Gillikinese and high society. "What are you even doing out here?"

"I don't see how that matters—"

"You are in my homeland now, and you will do as I say. Now, answer the question."

Galinda was finding it very hard to believe that Nessarose had a compassionate side, but she knew it was better to just as she said. "I came here to fix up an old granary near the Dragon Cupboard and save it from being knocked down."

A slim eyebrow rose. "Why in Oz's name would you do that? There are hundreds of granaries in Munchkinland; losing one does not affect us."

Galinda twisted her hands nervously. "Well, Boq called my attention to it, and originally I wasn't going to stay, but Master Skarr was being rather unreasonable, and I—"

"What name did you say?" Nessa's expression had changed from annoyed to angry.

"I…" Galinda seemed to have lost her voice.

"You're working with him behind my back? I should have known better when you came around here, asking about Elphaba!" The brunette was advancing on her now, and Galinda had a feeling she wanted very badly to run her over with that chair.

"Please, listen—"

"I don't care what excuse you have prepared!"

"But Elphaba—"

"Don't say her name!"

Galinda had been forced to back up to avoid being hit by Nessarose, and she felt herself bump into another warm body.

"Nessa, calm yourself," Fiyero said, his hands closing around the blonde's arms gently, almost protectively. "Let her speak before you accuse her of conspiring against you."

The Eminent Thropp looked irritated with being interrupted, but she backed up, crossing her arms. "All right. I'll listen, but it had better be good."

Fiyero released the Frottican, and she took a step forward, looking at the Eminent Thropp. "I am not working with Master Skarr; after purchasing half the granary from him, we have not been in contact since. I would not conspire against you."

Nessarose didn't look convinced. "Maybe that is true, but it does not explain why you stole my music box."

"It's not yours…"

The angry look returned. "What did you say?"

Galinda took a deep breath, hoping she could sound stronger than she felt. "The music box doesn't belong to you. It belongs to Elphaba, whom you denied knowing when I asked you about her." The blonde could see Nessa's expression changing, but she didn't stop. "Everyone denies knowing her, which makes me think you all do. What I don't understand is why you're pretending she never existed. What happened to make you act this way?"

There was a silence, followed by Nessarose asking, "How do you know about Elphaba?" Her voice was shaking, and Galinda almost felt bad for her.

The blonde faltered for a moment; should she tell them the truth? Would they even believe her? What if they asked her to prove it, and Elphaba refused to be seen? "I… she told me…"

"She… she told you?" The brunette seemed confused now. "That means… she's still alive."

"Well—"

"She's still alive! Where is she?" Nessarose looked hopeful now, and she reminded the blonde of a small child. "Please, tell me where she is."

"I… I can't…"

And just like that, Nessarose had resumed her stony expression. "What do you mean, you can't?"

"She… she doesn't want anyone to know about her. I found her only by accident… she asked me to get the music box for her… and then she left." It was a lie, yes, but what else could Galinda say? Sorry, Elphaba is actually a ghost, which means she's quite the opposite of alive.

The Eminent Thropp looked rather defeated at this news. "I should have expected such… that's just like Elphaba." There was a silence before Nessarose asked, "How… how did she look? Was she healthy? Injured?"

"She… she was fine."

Nessarose nodded, and there was another pause.

"Why… why does she matter so much to you?" Galinda asked.

The brunette sighed. "Elphaba is my older sister… she disappeared ten years ago… and we never found out what happened."

Galinda's eyes widened slightly. "That means… Elphaba would have been the Eminent Thropp…"

Nessarose nodded. "Her disappearance was rather unexpected… when she didn't return, I was forced to step up after our great-grandfather died." The brunette sighed. "We have been searching for some sign of her for years… and now you stumble across her by accident. Did she tell you why she did this?"

The blonde shook her head. She felt bad lying to Nessarose this way, but the truth would crush her (and make Galinda look like a crazy person). "We… we didn't talk much… she wouldn't even tell me her last name…"

The younger Thropp sighed again, glancing up at Fiyero. "Well… now what?"

The Vinkan crossed his arms. "I don't know… she's alive, we know that much, and knowing Elphaba, she'll come home when she's ready."

"And how much longer must we wait for that to happen?"

"Nessa, we have had no luck in trying to find her for ten years; she doesn't want to be found. It should be enough to know that she is alive."

Nessarose nodded with a sigh. "You're right…" The brunette turned her attention back to Galinda. "I apologize for the way I treated you; Elphaba is still a sensitive subject for me."

"I understand…"

The Eminent Thropp nodded again. "Are you currently living in that granary you mentioned?"

"Well, I don't really have the money to live anywhere else…"

"Would you like to live somewhere else? I can have it arranged."

"O-oh…" Galinda was taken aback by that. A few minutes ago this woman was ready to run her over, and now she was offering her a nicer place to live. Normally, she would have accepted without hesitation, but she knew there was no way she could leave Elphaba, not until she was sure the green woman would be okay (as okay as a ghost could be). "That's very gracious of you, but living in the granary isn't so bad."

Nessarose raised an eyebrow, a move that reminded Galinda exactly of the green woman (now that she knew they were sisters, the similarities were obvious). "Are you sure?"

The Frottican nodded.

"All right, but don't hesitate to call me if that ever changes." The brunette offered Galinda her hand, which the blonde shook. "Fiyero will take you home."

* * *

The ride back to the granary was as silent as the ride to the Colwen Grounds, and upon arriving, Fiyero didn't look entirely happy.

"Night," was all he said after he opened the blonde's door and started back for the driver's side.

Galinda's brow furrowed a bit. "Why do I feel like I'm still in trouble?"

The Vinkan sighed, looking over at the blonde over the car. "I told you not to lie to Nessarose."

"I didn't—"

"You must have! Pretending you knew Elphaba, that you saw her—"

"I did!"

"You couldn't have!"

"I'm not lying! Elphaba was here!"

"Elphaba Thropp is dead!"

The Frottican's eyes widened slightly at that. "How… how do you know that?"

Fiyero paused, his expression telling Galinda that he knew he'd said too much. "A year or so after she disappeared… I was still holding onto the hope that she could be alive… and then Nessarose received this in the mail." The Vinkan pulled on the chain around his neck, extracting a ring from under his shirt. "Elphaba's mother gave her this ring… it's been passed down through the Thropp family line…"

"That doesn't prove she's dead—"

"It was still on her finger."

A pause, and then Galinda understood. "Oh Oz…"

The Vinkan nodded, slipping the ring back under his shirt. "Nessarose is still clinging onto the hope that her sister is alive… but I know Elphaba. She would never go down without a fight, and if someone managed to get her ring…"

A pause before Galinda said softly, "You don't know that for sure… and if you did, you're the one lying to Nessarose…"

"I lie to her for the same reason you did; losing Elphaba almost destroyed her, especially so soon after they lost their parents. Nessarose needs something to hold onto to keep herself going, and if it must be the belief that Elphaba is still alive, then so be it."

There was a silence between them.

"Do me a favor, and never bring Elphaba up again," the Vinkan said before he got into his car and drove away.

The blonde watched him go before she turned and headed for the granary, unlocking the door and stepping inside. She closed it with a sigh, resting her forehead against the metal.

"I was beginning to think they took you for 'a walk'."

Galinda took a deep breath before she turned, and started up the stairs.

"Hey, blondie—"

The Frottican turned on the upstairs light, sitting on her mattress with a sigh. "Elphaba… we need to talk."

The green woman soon appeared, looking confused. "What is it? Are you breaking up with me?"

"Elphaba…"

The Munchkin's brow furrowed, but she sat. Galinda's tone did not sound like good news, and Elphaba found herself feeling a bit nervous.

The blonde sighed, trying to find the right words. "I talked with Nessarose… and she finally told me how she knows you." Galinda looked up at her companion. "Your last name is Thropp, and Nessarose is your younger sister."

Dark eyes widened at that. "That means… I should be the Eminent Thropp right now…"

"Yes…"

"_Look Fabala, this is your baby sister."_

_Feelings of resentment… devotion… guilt…_

"_For you, my precious flower."_

"_Oh, they're beautiful!"_

_She was going down before her sister, affixing the silver slippers to her feet…_

"Elphaba?" That was Galinda, but images and voices were rushing back, and she couldn't seem to place them.

"_You can't run from this!"_

"_You mean the way you did? I don't want this, I never did!"_

"_Elphaba! Come back here!"_

_The sound of a gun being cocked…_

"_You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"_

_A gunshot rang out, and then nothing._

The green woman let out a cry before she suddenly disappeared, startling the blonde.

"Elphaba! Elphaba, are you all right?"

There was silence, and then, "I'm fine." Slowly, the Munchkin reappeared, looking visibly shaken up.

"What happened? Did you remember something?"

"Only bits and pieces…" A pause. "I think… I think someone shot me…"

Galinda's eyes widened slightly. "Elphaba… that means you were murdered."

"Not surprising."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm annoying."

"Elphaba."

"Did Nessa mention how long I've been… gone?"

"Ten years…"

The green woman nodded. "Does… does she still think I'm alive?"

"Yes… I had to tell her I saw you alive… I couldn't tell her the truth."

The Munchkin let out a humorless laugh. "I suppose that would have made you look a bit insane."

"Well, yes, that, but also because it's your secret, Elphaba…"

Elphaba looked at her companion. "You're putting yourself in jeopardy to keep my secret?"

The blonde nodded.

The green woman shook her head. "Maybe you are insane…"

"Excuse you."

Elphaba smiled. "Thank you."

Galinda smiled back, reaching for the green woman; she knew better than to try and take her hand, so she let her hand rest on the Munchkin's knee. "You're so cold…"

"Yes, well, I haven't any skin to keep the heat in." In truth, Elphaba was surprised she could actually feel the blonde's hand. "Is there anything else?" she asked in an effort to distract herself.

"Maybe…"

A slim eyebrow rose. "Maybe?"

"It depends on what you make of it."

"I see."

Galinda paused before saying, "Do you recall a Vinkan named Fiyero?"

"Only what you've said of him."

"Well, he works for Nessarose, but I believe he knows more than he wants to admit."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well… he has your mother's ring. He said she gave it to you."

Elphaba's eyebrow went back up. "Why does he have it then?"

"He said it arrived at the Colwen Grounds in a package…" Galinda paused, wondering if she should reveal the rest.

"And?" Elphaba could tell the blonde was holding back. "What else?"

"It was still on your finger…"

"Oh." Elphaba looked down at her hands. "Well, that's unnerving, not to mention rude. Taking a dead woman's finger… must have been raised in a barn." A pause. "Does he think I'm still alive?"

"No… he doesn't think you'd let someone take your finger and ring unless you were dead…"

"He's probably right…" Another pause. "Is that all?"

"That's everything they told me…"

Elphaba nodded. "I suppose I should be grateful…"

"It would be appreciated."

The green woman let out another laugh. "Thanks blondie. We're not that much closer to me regaining my memory, but thank you anyway."

"You have a funny way of showing gratitude."

"Perhaps that's why I was killed."

"And yet, you still haven't learned."

"Old habits die hard, blondie."

"Fitting, coming from you."

"… You're hilarious."

* * *

Fiyero was having a hard time sleeping; with everything about Elphaba resurfacing, he was finding it hard to concentrate on anything else. The Vinkan was currently pacing the room, running a hand through his hair.

"You can't sleep either…"

The Vinkan looked up, seeing Nessarose in the doorway. "Did I wake you?"

"Well, you weren't exactly being quiet." The brunette wheeled into the room, closing the door behind her. "It's Elphaba, isn't it?"

Fiyero didn't reply, his gaze going to the floor.

"You were with her… the night she disappeared…"

"Nessa, we've gone over that a hundred times. I lost her in the crowd… it was chaos that night. I tried to find her… I searched for hours…"

Nessa looked down at her hands. "And now she just turns up… she knows she can come home, doesn't she?"

"Nessa…"

"I know you think she's dead…"

Fiyero sighed. "Well, Galinda proved me wrong, didn't she?"

The brunette nodded. "Why won't she come back? What happened that night that would make her do this?"

"I told you—"

"Well, tell me again!" An angry expression had crossed the brunette's face, and Fiyero could see tears in the corners of her eyes. "Tell me what could have possibly happened that would make Elphaba think she couldn't come home! It's been ten years; haven't I suffered enough?"

"This isn't about you—"

"Don't start with me."

"Elphaba has her own agenda, all right? It's not our place to force her to return if that is not what she wishes."

"She wouldn't just leave us like that!"

"She really got into it with your mother that night—"

"Stop." Nessarose shook her head. "I can't believe that… even though she and our mother fought… and even if she had run, she would have come back once she heard what happened…"

Fiyero sighed, knowing there was no reasoning with the younger Thropp. "All right, Nessa… I'm sorry…"

The Eminent Thropp sighed. "I just want answers…"

"I know… we'll figure this out…"


	9. Chapter 9

Winter was quickly approaching, and as it did, Galinda found herself beginning to question if she wanted to stay in Munchkinland much longer. Unlike the white winters she was used to in Frottica (living so close to Mount Runcible), it did not snow in Munchkinland; rather, the skies just grew cloudy and overcast, while the dirt turned to mud. It was not an area Galinda wished to remain in for much longer.

"You're leaving?" Elphaba asked as she watched Galinda pack. "You barely fixed this place up at all; what happened to Miss Determination?"

"I told you, it's only for the winter. Besides, Lurlinemas is approaching, and I'd like to spend it with my family."

The green woman let out an amused snort, earning her a scowl.

"Sorry." The Munchkin's tone made it clear she wasn't very sorry at all. "How long do you expect to be gone?"

Galinda shrugged. "I don't know for sure."

"A year?"

The blonde gave her another scowl. "Going to miss me, are you?"

Elphaba paused. "Of course not. I existed ten years on my own here, and eighteen years before that without you. I think I can handle a few weeks without you around."

Galinda was about to respond when something caught her attention. "Elphaba… you know how old you were when you died?"

The green woman paused. "I… I suppose so… I had never really thought about it before… it just came out."

The blonde considered what this might mean. "Perhaps what you said before is true… maybe dying was so traumatizing for you that your memories were just… suppressed."

"My flashbacks should have been proof of that."

"Yes, but this also proves that you can remember things… I think you're just reluctant to do so."

Elphaba sighed. "Maybe so, but what do my memories hold for me? They are all of a life I cannot return to; you admitted it yourself, you were afraid to tell Nessa the truth. Finding out that I died would be hard enough, but seeing me as a ghost? She'd think I was sent to plague her, and she'd be inside chapel so quickly…" Elphaba sighed again, and the blonde could sense a trace of pain at that statement. "I'm better off alone."

"Don't be self-deprecating, Elphie, it's very depressing."

A slim eyebrow rose. "What did you call me?"

"Elphie. It's a little nickname I came up for you just now."

"I see. Have we reached that point in our friendship where we're using pet names for each other?"

Galinda smiled at that. "You admit we're friends…"

Elphaba realized what she'd said, and she looked away. "I… you certainly seem intent on it… I figure it easier to just let you do as you wish."

The blonde was still smiling, and the Munchkin gave her a look.

"Your face is going to get stuck like that," the green woman said.

"I don't care."

"You will care when people think you're a homicidal sociopath."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Galinda flitted over to a bag near her suitcase, rummaging through it and pulling out a wrapped package. "I know it's early, but happy Lurlinemas."

Elphaba's eyebrow went back up. "My calling you a homicidal sociopath reminded you that you had a present for me?"

"No, you calling me your friend did."

"Oh…" Elphaba was touched that the blonde had gotten her something, but part of her wished she hadn't. Not only could she not reciprocate the favor, it just didn't feel right… giving a gift to a dead woman… "I… I did not realize we'd be exchanging gifts…"

"You don't need to get me anything… I figure you haven't seen a gift in some time…"

The green woman didn't reply, instead making herself corporeal so she could begin unwrapping the gift. Upon opening the box, she found quite a few books inside. Many were paperback and dog-eared, but they were book with pages and stories to read.

"The library was having a sale… I know they're not in the best condition… but I thought you might want a change from architecture…"

Elphaba picked up each book, reading the titles. She had so little… not even her life belonged to her anymore… to be given something like this… to have some semblance of control back… it was enough to make her a bit emotional, which surprised her. "Thank you…"

"No problem." There was a silence, and Galinda cleared her throat, moving to pick up her suitcase and her purse. "Well… I suppose I should go. It's a rather long drive back home, and I don't really want to be driving at night."

"Of course…"

Another pause.

"I suppose this is goodbye then…"

Elphaba stood, her fists clenching uncertainly. "You needn't be so dramatic about it…" She wasn't attached to Galinda by any means, but that didn't mean she was so ready to be left on her own again… there would be plenty of time for that when the Frottican left for good.

The blonde smiled slightly, but didn't comment. "Bye Elphie."

Elphaba just nodded, not looking up until Galinda had closed the door, locking it behind her.

* * *

Upon sliding into her car, Galinda found it to be unexpectedly chilling, and once bringing it to life, she quickly turned up the heat. Lurlinemas music poured from the speakers, and the blonde turned it up before she drove away, watching the granary grow smaller in her rearview mirror. She felt a bit guilty, leaving Elphaba behind like that, but what else could she do? It wasn't as though the green woman could come with her, and even if she could, how would she explain that to her family? "Oh, don't mind Elphaba, she's just the ghost who lives in the granary with me."

No, that certainly would not go over well.

The drive to Frottica was as expected, though the blonde found herself having to stop for gas more than usual. She attributed it to not having filled up before she left, and even with the extra stops, she managed to pull into the driveway of her parents' home just before it grew dark.

"Galinda, you're early," her mother said as the blonde entered the house. "We thought you were coming next week."

"Yes, well, I suppose I was a bit too homesick," Galinda replied, hugging her mother. "Besides, Munchkinland is far too muddy in the winter; not at all pleasant."

"You're still enjoying it there?"

"It's not permanent."

Larena made a face, but didn't pursue the matter further. "Yes, well, once you unpack, come join us in the living room and warm yourself up."

Galinda nodded before heading up the stairs to her room, turning on the light. Not much had changed; her room was relatively untouched since she'd packed up and left for Munchkinland. The blonde set her suitcase down and sat on the bed with a sigh before flopping onto her back and closing her eyes. She felt unusually tired; the drive had taken more out of her than she'd anticipated.

"How can you possibly stand this much pink?"

Sapphire eyes snapped open at the voice, and Galinda sat up slowly, hoping it was some sort of trick her mind was playing on her. Her gaze falling on a familiar green woman, who was currently poking around her room, told her that it was only wishful thinking.

"Elphaba?"

"Seriously though, this is a lot of pink."

"How… what… you…"

Elphaba looked over at the blonde. "You really should think about what you want to say before you attempt to do so."

Galinda stood, approaching the Munchkin. "How did you get here? I thought you were bound to the granary!" she hissed.

"I am. When you were leaving, I made a last minute decision to see if I could attach myself to you."

"Did you know you could do that?"

"I had no idea what would happen. Honestly, I thought you might pass out after a while, but you didn't."

"You didn't even ask me!"

"I told you, it was a last minute decision; besides, I didn't want to give you the option of saying no, or arguing with me."

Galinda was struggling to find the right words; she couldn't even pick one emotion for how she was feeling! "I can't believe you!"

"I am rather unbelievable."

The blonde let out a frustrated sigh, and she had just prepared to give the green woman a lecture when her mother's voice came calling from downstairs.

"Galinda, dear, are you talking to someone?"

Elphaba immediately disappeared at that, for which Galinda was grateful. Explaining Elphaba's presence would be difficult, to say the least.

"No… I just accidentally turned the TV on," the younger blonde called back.

"All right." Her mother seemed satisfied with that answer, and Galinda let out a sigh of relief.

"Listen Elphaba, it's too dangerous for you here."

A snort of amusement. "Dangerous? I'm dead, remember?"

"How could I forget?" the blonde practically growled.

"You sound upset."

"I can't imagine why! And stop hiding!"

The Munchkin reappeared, something that only made Galinda angrier.

"Just because you are dead doesn't mean you are safe. If anyone finds out about you—"

"Look blondie, the only thing I need to be afraid of is an exorcism, and I doubt anyone here is capable of performing one."

Galinda let out a frustrated sigh. "You are so… so—"

"Incredible? Amazing?"

"Arrogant and impossible!"

Elphaba made a face. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were insulting me."

A frustrated noise escaped the blonde.

"This is not the reaction I was expecting…"

"Oh really? What were you expecting then?!"

"A hello for starters."

Galinda had reached the end of her rope with this woman. She was exhausted and frustrated (both because of Elphaba, she realized now), so all that came out was an angry, "GAH!"

A slim eyebrow rose. Elphaba had expected some sort of anger from the blonde, but not this. "Galinda—"

"Just stop! I can't even look at you!"

Elphaba disappeared.

"Don't disappear when I'm talking to you!"

"You said you couldn't look at me! I'm still here for you to reprimand and lecture."

"Well I want to see your face!"

A sigh, and then Elphaba reappeared. "Make up your mind woman."

Galinda had had enough. She was so angry she couldn't even think of words harsh enough for the verdant specter. "I have to go downstairs. Stay here."

"I can't do that."

"Elphaba Thropp, so help me, you will stay here and behave yourself, or I will find a way to bring you back to life so I can kill you myself."

The green woman was about to reply, but hearing her full name come from the blonde stopped her.

"_Elphaba Thropp, so help me, if you leave this house, don't expect to be welcomed back!"_

"Mother…"

Galinda paused in her heated lecturing at that. She wanted to stay angry with Elphaba, yes, but the green woman was wearing such a concerned and apologetic expression…

"What did you see?" the Frottican found herself asking.

Elphaba shook her head. "Just my mother yelling at me… I don't know what I did to make her so angry… but I felt angry too… I think… I think that was the night it happened…"

"The night you died?"

The Munchkin nodded.

Well shit. How was she supposed to stay angry with Elphaba _now_? Galinda sighed, rubbing her temples. "Look… just stay here and we can talk when I get back."

"I already told you I can't."

"Elphaba, please don't make me start yelling again—"

"I'm not doing this to annoy you. What you said is true: I am bound to the granary, but when I attached myself to you, I was able to leave. However, because of that, I have to stay with you to avoid… well… let's just say I have a feeling something bad will happen."

Galinda sighed, but what could she do? She didn't want Elphaba to be torn away from this plane, if that was the consequence of their separation. So, she had no choice but to say, "All right, but behave yourself."

The green woman nodded. "Don't worry, you won't even know I'm here," she said before disappearing.

"I doubt that…"

"I can still hear you."

Galinda rolled her eyes, but left the room, heading downstairs and into the living room, where she found her parents sitting by the fireplace, which sported a rather roaring fire.

"There you are," her father said upon noticing her entrance. "We were afraid you might have gotten lost."

"Oh, he's hilarious," came a whisper from Elphaba.

"Just distracted," Galinda said, desperately wishing she could pinch the green woman as she sat in one of the large, comfortable chairs. She gladly accepted the glass of wine her mother offered her, taking a few sips.

"Slow down there blondie."

"Shut up," Galinda hissed, hiding it behind another sip of wine.

"So, Galinda, how is the granary restoration going?" Highmuster asked.

"Oh, well, I haven't exactly started yet…" Galinda admitted. "I've been trying to make some money, but it mostly goes to food and such rather than equipment and tools…"

"I see. Why didn't you tell us? I could have equipment there in a day."

This was what Galinda had been afraid of. "I appreciate the offer, but I need to do this on my own."

"Galinda, you don't need to prove your independence to us."

"I need it for myself…"

A nod from her father. "Of course. Well, if your independence allows it, you can take whatever tools and materials we have in the shed outside."

"I'll consider it…" Her parents didn't understand, not fully. She had expected such, but it mattered little. This was for herself… she'd get it done one way or another.

* * *

Her car was gone, and the granary was empty. That was new. In his recollection, Elphaba had never been able to leave the granary before. Roman Skarr made his way around the building, but his initial conclusion had been correct. The specter was not here.

"So you found a way to use this girl to get out… it would appear you have more weaknesses then you let on."

She'd have to come back eventually… perhaps it was time to have a chat with Miss Galinda.

* * *

"To the left… a bit more… that's too much. Aaaand… there. Good."

Fiyero sighed and took a step away from the tree. "Time to start decorating?"

"I suppose."

The Vinkan looked over at the brunette, noting her somewhat depressed tone. "What is it? I thought you enjoyed decorating."

"I do… it's just…" Nessa sighed again, and Fiyero understood.

"Elphaba…"

"Why won't she just come home? She has to know I'm not angry with her… I just want her to come back."

Fiyero sighed, running a hand through his hair. He wished Galinda hadn't brought this up… he knew that Elphaba was a sensitive subject for Nessarose, and now being lied to about her being alive…

"Nessa… you know I cared for Elphaba as much as any of you… and her disappearance pained me… but we can't keep dwelling on it. Elphaba has always been fiercely independent… if we try and seek her out now, she'll only run further. The fact that she was even in Munchkinland is a good sign; it means she might be thinking about coming home."

"I suppose that's true." Nessa offered the Vinkan a smile. "Sometimes I wonder how I'd get along without you, Fiyero, and you know I am as fiercely independent as Elphaba."

Fiyero smiled back with a slight laugh. "Yes, the Thropp women are known for being very stubborn, among other things."

Nessa nodded, though she didn't comment; it was obviously painful for her.

"Well… let's get to decorating then, shall we?"

* * *

"I never liked Lurlinemas."

"Of course you didn't."

Elphaba gave the blonde a look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you certainly seem the type to not be thrilled about holidays that celebrate being with others."

"Well, that's very rude. I can hardly remember my past, so what makes you think you can make assumptions about me?"

Galinda looked up at the green woman. "Am I wrong?"

Elphaba opened her mouth, and then closed it before looking away. "I don't see what the big deal is."

The blonde sighed. "Lurlinemas is a time for everyone to be together… I don't know what your family dynamic was like, but I enjoy the season… everyone seems a little bit happier."

The green woman moved to the window, looking outside and watching the snowfall. "I don't think I've seen snow before… Munchkinland never gets that cold… then again, I haven't left the granary in ten years. Lurlinemas is like any other day for me: spent alone."

Galinda felt her heart ache at that, and she approached the Munchkin, daring to touch her arm gently. Elphaba was as cold as always, but the Frottican was finding that that was beginning to bother her less. "Elphaba… you don't have to be alone this year…"

The green woman didn't pull away, but she didn't react positively to Galinda's touch either. "Perhaps not this year, but what about in the future? You're not staying at the granary forever, and I don't expect you to come back and visit a dead woman."

Galinda paused, knowing Elphaba was partially right. "Well… you attached yourself to me once. Maybe… maybe you don't have to stay trapped at the granary."

Elphaba looked at her. "What are you proposing?"

"Perhaps… you could attach yourself to me again… you could go where I go…"

The Munchkin shook her head. "We don't know what that could do to you. Besides, you don't want to live your life that way… always having to worry about where I am, or if people will discover. Furthermore, what will happen when you eventually marry? You won't want me present on your honeymoon, or during childbirth. The offer is kind, but I cannot allow your life to stop just because mine did." Elphaba moved away from the blonde, crossing her arms over her chest in a way that told Galinda she was withdrawing into her guarded state.

"All right, Elphaba… I won't force you. But regardless, you are my friend, and I won't just forget you when I finish with the granary," Galinda said.

Elphaba turned to look back at her, smiling slightly. "Funny how the person who merely stumbled across my home, or rather, my dwelling, turned out to be the one who cares the most."

Galinda smiled back, but another thought occurred to her. "You don't… you don't consider the granary a home?"

Elphaba shrugged. "It's the place I reside."

"I see…" A pause. "It's late… I suppose I should turn in." Galinda climbed into bed, turning off the lamp and pulling the blankets up. "Good night Elphie."

"Fresh dreams."

It was silent for a while, and Elphaba was left alone with her thoughts. She considered Galinda's question, and wondered if she had ever felt the feeling of home. The granary certainly wasn't one… maybe she had felt such while alive, but of course she could not recall.

The blonde shifted in her sleep, and Elphaba looked down at her. She and Galinda had met entirely by accident, and yet, they had forged an unlikely friendship. Elphaba wondered if perhaps this was what home felt like; secure and… well, living didn't feel so far away. The Munchkin brushed a strand of hair from the Frottican's face with a slight smile before she disappeared for the night.

After all, should someone walk in, this would look disturbing, to say the least.


	10. Chapter 10

As was usual for her, Galinda woke early Lurlinemas morning. The blonde rolled out of bed excitedly, going to the window and finding that everything had been covered in a blanket of snow.

"Well you're certainly up early."

Galinda turned, seeing the green woman standing behind her. "I always wake up early on Lurlinemas."

"Yes, this infernal holiday…"

Galinda's brow furrowed slightly. "I detect disdain in your voice."

Elphaba shook her head. "I just don't understand what the big deal is about Lurlinemas… allowing children to believe in the idea that some woman comes into their house and leaves behind baskets of assorted goodies."

"It's more than that, Elphaba…"

The green woman made a noncommittal noise, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Your family never celebrated Lurlinemas?" It was a futile question, she knew, but it was worth a try.

"You know I can't remember, though through what I have gleaned from my flashbacks, I suspect that my family didn't enjoy anything fun."

Galinda sighed. "I suppose… your sister does seem quite the devoted type, though I can't imagine she was born that way."

"My father does love lost causes…"

"What?"

Elphaba shook her head; if she was aware of what she had said, she didn't let on. "I suppose we should head downstairs so you can partake in the festivities… and I can be forced to do so against my will."

"You chose to come with me—"

Elphaba had disappeared by now, and Galinda sighed again. "You know, that does get annoying after a while," she said to the empty room, but there was no reply. "Well, I'm not going to let your negativity ruin my Lurlinemas mood." The blonde went to her closet, pulling out her robe and slipping into it before she began down the stairs.

Elphaba's gaze fell on the decorated tree, and the presents that sat under it—

"_What is this?"_

"_Frex, it's just once—"_

"_We agreed that we would not let our children believe in this pagan nonsense!"_

"_Papa, please, Preenella left it for us—"_

"_Preenella? You've been filling their heads with your blasphemy, haven't you? Well, I won't have any of that in this house!"_

Galinda stumbled, clutching the railing to keep herself from falling down the stairs. "Elphaba…?"

"I'm here."

"What was that?"

"A fragment of a memory…"

"Why was I able to see it?"

"I assume it's because I am currently attached to you… I apologize."

Galinda straightened up. "Are they always like that?"

"Sudden and invading? Yes."

The blonde tried to replay the scene in her mind, but everything had happened so quickly… "Who were those people?"

"I assume they were my parents."

Galinda paused. "I heard the name Frex…"

"My father, most likely."

The blonde nodded, filing the information away for another time.

"I apologize again. Please, go enjoy your family."

The Frottican could sense the sincerity in her voice, and it almost pained her; still, she continued down the stairs.

"We were wondering when you'd come down," her father said once she had reached the living room.

Galinda gratefully took the cup of coffee her mother offered her before she settled herself on the floor.

"Well, I suppose we should begin then," Highmuster continued. He picked up a basket, handing it to his daughter. "I see Preenella remembered you this year."

Galinda took her basket, though guilt wracked her as she read her name on the tag—

"_Look, Preenella came."_

_A woman was smiling down at her… small green hands were holding onto a basket barely big enough to hold a few oranges…_

"_What is this?"_

_The basket was ripped from her hands… a man was walking away with two baskets, and she knew he meant to destroy them…_

Galinda was jerked back to reality, and she put a hand to her head.

"Galinda, what is it?" she heard her mother ask.

"N-nothing… just a slight headache…" the blonde replied, lowering her hand and turning her attention back to her basket. How could she enjoy her gifts now, after what she had seen? Elphaba's father had not wanted her to partake in Lurlinemas… he had ripped her basket from her hands… and now, Elphaba would be forced to watch them open their gifts.

"It's all right," she heard a voice barely whisper in her ear. "Please, don't let me ruin your holiday… just ignore what you saw…"

Galinda knew that would be impossible.

* * *

"I was not informed that there would be a party."

"Stop complaining."

"Being dead, I reserve the right to complain whenever I feel like it."

Galinda rolled her eyes, continuing to fix her hair. It had certainly been an ordeal, taking a shower when she knew Elphaba was attached to her. The green woman swore her eyes had been closed the whole time, and Galinda had no choice but to believe her.

"Why must your family have a party anyway? Haven't you celebrated enough today?" Elphaba continued.

"We have a party every year; it's tradition."

"Of course; tradition. What was I thinking?" It was the Munchkin's turn to roll her eyes, and Galinda gave her a look, though it soon softened.

"I'm sorry Elphaba… I'm not trying to torture you…"

"If you're still concerned about what you saw earlier, please forget it."

"I can't, nor will I." Galinda turned to look at her companion. "What I saw was horrible; your father ripped your basket out of your hands, and it looked like he took your sister's too."

Elphaba didn't reply, but her gaze didn't leave the floor.

"It's not right—"

"It's in the past, all right? You can't change what happened, and it doesn't matter now. I'm dead, so just let it go," Elphaba snapped.

The blonde was a bit taken aback, but she should have expected such. "All right, Elphaba…" She turned back to the mirror, finishing with her hair before standing up and starting for her room. "I'd like some privacy," she added.

Though she couldn't see the green woman, she felt her detach, and the blonde disappeared into her closet.

After about ten minutes, the blonde still hadn't emerged, and Elphaba sighed. "Did you get lost in there, blondie?"

"Very funny." Galinda emerged from the closet, dressed in long emerald gown and matching heels. At the sight, Elphaba had to keep her mouth from falling open, and she was very glad that Galinda could not see her. "Well?"

"I… you…"

"It's polite to let the other person see you if you're going to compliment them."

Elphaba rolled her eye, but made herself visible, fighting to keep her face neutral. "You look very nice."

Galinda made a face. "Just 'very nice'?"

"Now you're just fishing."

"I could change, if you don't like this."

"Wha—why should it matter what I think?"

Galinda shrugged; honestly, she did not know why she cared what Elphaba thought. She had had this dress picked out for months; it should not matter whether the green woman liked it or not. And yet, something inside of her needed Elphaba's approval… she wanted Elphaba to look at her and see beauty… she wanted the Munchkin to kiss her and—

Galinda flushed, realizing what had just gone through her mind. Absurd, to want a ghost to kiss her! And Elphaba hardly seemed the type to show such affection…

"I'll just go pick something else out then," the Frottican found herself saying.

"No!" Elphaba said, perhaps a bit too quickly. She paused, composing herself. "I mean… I'm sure you've had this picked out for quite some time, knowing you… and you look beautiful…"

Galinda blushed at that. "Thank you."

Elphaba nodded, looking away. "Are you almost ready? At this pace, your guests will have left before you even have a chance to greet them."

There was the Elphaba she knew. "I'm almost done; calm yourself." The Frottican went to her vanity, beginning to apply her make-up.

Elphaba watched her for a bit before saying, "I certainly feel underdressed."

Galinda glanced at what her companion was wearing; the same jeans, layered t-shirt, and boots she had been wearing when Galinda first met her. "Are… are those the clothes you…"

"Died in? I would assume so."

"Can't you change?"

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "Oh yes, let me just head to those oh so popular boutiques for the dead."

The blonde turned to face her. "Is… is anything under there? Your clothes I mean."

"That's very forward of you, Miss Galinda."

Galinda made a face. "Well, is there or isn't there?"

"How should I know? I don't know what kind of people you're used to dealing with, but I don't just randomly take my clothes off."

"Have you ever even tried?"

"I am beginning to think you want to see me naked."

Galinda blushed again. "Fine, be difficult." She turned back to her mirror, and silence fell between the two as the blonde resumed applying her make-up. In her peripheral vision, she caught sight of Elphaba pulling back her shirt collar and glancing down, and the Frottican couldn't help but smile.

"Anything down there, Miss Thropp?"

If Elphaba could blush, she would be doing so as she quickly let go of her shirt. "N-none of your business!"

* * *

Upland Manor was quite crowded, seeing as most of the invited guests were in attendance. From where she stood at the top of the stairs, Galinda looked down at the assembled, not quite ready to begin mingling.

"You know all these people, yet you choose to associate with a dead woman."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Elphaba, do me a favor and make yourself corporeal so I can smack you."

"Well, that's incentive." Still, the green woman soon appeared, surprising both of them.

Galinda couldn't help but smile, giving the Munchkin a light smack on the shoulder before Elphaba disappeared again.

"Don't worry blondie, I'll be here the whole time. Moral support and all that."

The Frottican shook her head. "Thanks Elphaba," she said before she made her way down the stairs and into the party.

"Galinda!" The blonde was suddenly rushed by her three friends (though she was beginning to wonder how much of her "friends" they had actually been). "We've been so worried about you!"

"We haven't see you in months!"

"You never call or update your Ozbook!"

"Ozbook?" came Elphaba's confused whisper.

"Yes, well… I don't have much time for posting," Galinda replied. "The granary needs a lot of work."

"I still don't understand what your obsession with that place is; it seemed absolutely dreadful!" Pfannee said.

"Ah, now I remember these three," Elphaba whispered. "Someone still needs water dumped on their head."

"Be nice," Galinda hissed through her smile.

"They won't know what hit them—"

"When do you think you'll be coming home?" Shenshen asked, interrupting the verdant specter.

"I'm not entirely sure… however long it takes to fix up the granary, I suppose, and that could take over a year, considering I'm working on my own," Galinda replied.

"Why don't you just hire a team to do it for you? Surely your father knows some people," Pfannee said.

"I'm sure he does, but I want to make my own way… and this is something I have to do myself." Even as she said it, Galinda knew her friends wouldn't be able to understand; they were perfectly content to continue to live their sheltered, privileged lives. They didn't know what it was like to want to work for something...

"Yes, well, you always did like to make things more difficult than they had to be," Pfannee said. "After all, it was exactly this behavior that sent you to Munchkinland in the first place. I suppose it is fitting you should end up in a place like that granary."

Galinda's smile faltered, grappling for something to say; the comment had taken her so completely by surprise.

"That's it; she's getting a crème brulee dumped over head," she heard Elphaba whisper almost angrily.

"I… excuse me," the blonde managed before she left, making her way through the crowded ballroom. She soon reached the closed door of the den, opening it and slipping inside before closing the door behind her.

"Elphaba, you said you'd behave yourself," the Frottican said.

The green woman moved in front of the blonde as she made herself visible. "Those people are supposed to be your friends, and you let them talk to you that way?"

"They don't realize they're being insensitive—"

"They are not children; trust me, they know."

Galinda sighed. "Elphaba, please…"

"Please what? You are lecturing me about not trying hard enough to remember my past, meanwhile you can't even stand up to those ninnies—"

"That's different!"

Elphaba shook her head. "You want to be independent, but you still have a long way to go."

"Oh, and you know so much?"

"Make all the dead cracks you want; at least I never let people push me around, dead or not!"

"Miss Galinda? I heard you yelling—"

Both women froze as the door to the den opened, revealing Boq and the fact that they had been so involved in their argument that they had been careless.

Boq's eyes fell on Elphaba before widening. "M-Miss Elphaba… you're alive…"

Elphaba winced. She couldn't disappear with him watching, not without causing a panic.

"Boq—" Galinda started, knowing the situation had turned quickly.

"Your sister has been worried about you for years! What are you doing here? Are you ready to come home?" Boq approached the green woman, who took a step back. "You look like you haven't aged a day…"

"Boq, wait—"

"Why, you look exactly the same as you did the day you disappeared." Boq reached a hand up, as if to touch the green woman, and she jerked away, tripping over an end table and falling through it, disappearing as she did so. Galinda winced; this would not be easy to explain.

"What… where did she go?" Boq whirled around, looking almost frantic. "She was just here… was I hallucinating?" His gaze fell on Galinda. "You saw her too, didn't you? I heard… I heard you arguing with her."

"Boq, listen… there's something I need to tell you." Galinda led him to the couch, sitting him down gently. "The granary… when I got there… there was already someone living there…"

"Not so much living as inhabiting," Elphaba said, reappearing with crossed arms.

Boq jumped at that, fear in his expression. "Th-there she is again!"

"Elphaba, please, you're scaring him," Galinda said, turning on the green woman.

"Last time I checked, that's what ghosts did."

"G-ghosts?!" Boq's face had gone pale.

"Elphaba, you can't just drop something like that on someone!" Galinda scolded.

"Why? I did it to you, and you're fine."

"You have to be gentle." Galinda turned back to Boq. "As I said, Elphaba was already there. The night she disappeared… well, we believe someone murdered her in the granary…"

"So… she really is… dead?"

"That's usually the result of murder, yes," Elphaba said, rolling her eyes.

Galinda scowled at her before looking back at Boq. "Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but you can't tell anyone, especially not Nessarose."

"What?" Some of the color returned to the Munchkin's face at that. "I have to tell her! She has a right to know!"

"You can't!"

"You've been keeping this a secret from her! That's why you stole the music box!"

"Boq, please, listen to me—"

"I'm sorry, but her Eminence needs to know." Boq began to stand up, but Elphaba suddenly rushed him, forcing him back into the chair.

"You listen to me: from what I've been told, my disappearance nearly destroyed my sister. Holding onto the fact that I might still be alive is all she has, and if you take that from her, I swear to Oz I will haunt your every waking moment until you are driven to madness. Do you understand me?"

Boq had gone pale again, and he nodded weakly.

"Elphaba, please," Galinda said, placing a hand on her shoulder. The green woman paused before she pulled away, allowing Galinda to return to her gentler method. "Boq, you have to understand that if anyone knew about Elphaba, they might try to get rid of her by knocking down the granary or worse. Please… this needs to stay a secret… she may be dead, but she still deserves to be left in peace, doesn't she?"

Boq nodded again, taking a deep breath. "Why is she here?"

"Well, she attached herself to me when I left the granary, without even asking, mind you—"

"No, I mean why is she still here in Oz?"

Galinda's brow furrowed. "I… what?"

The Munchkin seemed to have regained some of his composure by now. "When a ghost stays behind, it is because they have unfinished business. So what's hers?"

The Frottican looked over at Elphaba, who looked away. "Elphaba… did you know about this?"

"If I knew, don't you think I would have finished this business by now?"

"The only way for her to pass on is to finish whatever is left behind," Boq said, standing up. "So we need to figure out what she left undone."

"We? When did you join this effort?" Elphaba asked, raising an eyebrow. "A few moments ago, you were ready to tell my sister everything."

"Look, I can help you. I have access to the Colwen Grounds, and any resources inside." Boq looked at the green woman. "You do want to pass on, don't you?"

Elphaba didn't reply, instead disappearing.

"Elphaba!" Galinda sighed. "You'll have to excuse her, Boq; ten years alone hasn't exactly refined her manners."

"It's all right…" Boq still seemed in slight disbelief. "If she does accept my help, give me a call."

Galinda nodded, catching his arm before he left. "You will keep this a secret, right?"

Boq nodded. "For you, of course. "

"Not for me… for Elphaba."

"Then for Elphaba."

The Frottican smiled. "Thank you."

The Munchkin nodded again before leaving, closing the door behind him.

"You were rather rude," Galinda said to the empty room.

"I was rude?" Elphaba suddenly reappeared.

"Boq was just offering to help—"

"I don't know him; how can I trust anything he says?"

"Fine. Trust me then."

Elphaba paused; trust did not come easily to her, and yet… trusting Galinda seemed natural. "Suppose we do figure out what my unfinished business is. Then what?"

"You finish it, of course. Then you can pass on."

Elphaba grew very quiet at that, something that concerned the blonde.

"Don't… don't you want to?" she asked hesitantly.

"If I pass on… where do I go? Will it be better or worse than where I am now?"

Galinda did not have an answer for that.


	11. Chapter 11

"Are you sure you don't want to stay longer?"

Galinda shook her head. "No, I really should see how the granary is faring; I've been away for a while."

"Yes of course."

"That's the last of the tools," her father said, approaching the two from where he had been loading Galinda's car.

"Thank you Popsicle." Galinda gave her parents one last hug and kiss on the cheek before turning and going to her car, sliding into the driver's seat. She started the engine before pulling out of the driveway and starting down the street.

"Spending time with your family has been surprisingly exhausting."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "You just couldn't wait to say something, could you?"

"I didn't realize there was a set amount of time I had to wait before I could speak."

Galinda shook her head. "And just think, if you had been alive, you would have actually had to talk to people."

"An even more terrifying and exhausting prospect."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "I suppose I should thank you though."

"Oh? And what did I do that deserves thanking?"

"You might not have been on your best behavior, but at least you refrained from being a typical ghost."

Even though she wasn't visible, Galinda could practically hear Elphaba's eyebrow arch. "Pardon?"

"You know what I mean."

"Obviously not."

"Things that go bump in the night and all that."

"Ah, you are referring to noises such as ghostly moans and rattling chains."

"Something like that."

A snort of amusement. "I am a bit more sophisticated than the common specter, Miss Galinda."

"Is that so? I seem to recall someone using chairs to make noise in an attempt to scare me away when I first arrived at the granary."

A pause. "That was one time, and it obviously didn't work."

Galinda let out a short laugh. "I suppose I should thank you for not pushing anyone out the window then."

A wince. "About that… I apologize. Being alone for so long didn't exactly help my social skills… and I was used to people only coming for a laugh or whatnot…"

The blonde's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"From time to time, people would stumble across the granary… sometimes on accident, other times because they were looking for it. It had gained a reputation for being haunted."

"And did you push those people out the window?"

"It never came to that. I could usually scare away the teenagers... and the adults."

"I see."

The two continued on, the only sound in the car coming from the radio. Eventually, Galinda had to admit that the car needed gas, resulting in her pulling into the next gas station.

"Want anything?" she asked absently as she killed the engine.

"I ought to make myself visible just so you can see the look on my face."

Galinda rolled her eyes. "All right, sorry."

* * *

"Well, we made it in one piece," Galinda announced upon exiting her car and stretching.

"Did you expect to arrive in multiple pieces?"

"Nice to see that death hasn't affected your sense of humor."

Elphaba shrugged. "Who knows, maybe I was boring when I was alive, and death has actually made me more hilarious." A pause. "I highly doubt that though."

Galinda shook her head. "I'd ask you to help me bring everything in, but I suppose that isn't really practical."

"Unfortunately."

And so, Galinda carried everything inside while Elphaba sat upstairs and read, occasionally offering her "helpful" advice.

Now that she had tools, Galinda could begin what she had set out to do: restoring the granary. Her first order of business was to repair the window Elphaba had so politely pushed her through on their first meeting; the tablecloth she had nailed over the empty space certainly wasn't doing her any favors.

"Oh good, you're finally replacing the window," Elphaba commented once Galinda had finished ordering the glass. "It was rather drafty in here."

Galinda gave her a flat look. "You don't even get cold."

"Regardless."

On the day the glass arrived, Galinda had invited Boq over to help her install it; it was safer than having someone else do it and possibly find out about Elphaba. Upon arrival, the Munchkin looked a bit nervous, to say the least.

"Is she here?" he asked after stepping inside. "Elphaba?"

"I live here; where else would I be?" the green woman replied, startling Boq. "Honestly, with all your 'unfinished business' talk, I would have thought you a bit more knowledgeable on the subject of ghosts."

"Just ignore her," Galinda interjected as she led Boq upstairs.

"That seems a bit difficult…"

"You get used to it." Galinda went to move the step stool closer to the window, only to have it slide away. "Elphaba!"

"You were saying about ignoring me?"

The blonde scowled before reaching for the stool again, but was met with the same result. "Elphaba, stop it!"

"Stop what? If I recall, there's no ghost here, seeing as you're ignoring me."

"Fine, I'm sorry."

"That didn't sound sincere."

"I will take your books away!"

A sigh. "Why do you have to go there?"

The stool slid back over to the blonde, and she picked it up with a huff, moving it to the window. "Ready?" she asked, looking at Boq.

The Munchkin was staring at her, a mixture of emotions on his face.

"What?"

"I am very confused as to what I just witnessed."

"You've never seen an argument before?"

"Not one with a ghost. It's like she's an actual person to you."

He hadn't meant offense, but his words still stung Galinda on Elphaba's behalf. "She is a person; her being dead doesn't change that."

There was a silence before the Frottican cleared her throat, saying, "So are you ready to put this window in?"

* * *

"You needn't get offended on my behalf."

"Hmm?"

Boq had left by now, and the two girls were alone. Elphaba had been reading, and Glinda was working on more granary plans, which she now looked up from.

"What do you mean?" the blonde continued.

"People will say offensive things without realizing it, and you don't have to be offended for me."

Galinda frowned slightly. "Elphaba, you're my friend, and as such it is my duty to watch out for you."

A slim eyebrow rose. "And who bestowed this duty upon you? It certainly wasn't me."

"It is an unwritten rule of friendship."

"I didn't realize friendship had so many rules."

The Frottican rolled her eyes; it was never easy with Elphaba. "Wouldn't you do the same for me?"

The green woman paused, slightly caught off-guard (Galinda had a nasty habit of doing that to her). Of course, she would be lying if she said she cared nothing for Galinda; in their time together, the green woman had grown fond of the blonde. Still, their friendship, however strong Galinda believed it to be, was still unnatural. Elphaba was a ghost, after all; she was dead, and Galinda was still very much alive. Eventually, their friendship would be too difficult to maintain. Galinda would continue to live her life, and the Munchkin would still be stuck.

"I… I would do my best; being a ghost, my abilities are limited," Elphaba finally replied.

"Well, you certainly paused long enough."

By this time, Elphaba had returned to her book, and Galinda shook her head before she resumed working on her plans. There was silence between them once again.

"As long as you are under this roof, I will keep you safe."

Blue eyes widened, and Galinda looked at her companion, but Elphaba's gaze was fixed on her book. The blonde smiled, but chose to say nothing as she returned to her plans.

* * *

"So once you ripped up the flooring, did you actually have a plan, or am I going to have to teach you the art of levitation?"

Galinda scowled in the green woman's direction. "I only ripped up three boards."

"That have yet to be replaced."

"I am working on it. Just read your book."

Elphaba looked back down at her book. "A bit difficult to do when someone insists on incessantly hammering."

The Frottican shot her another look, but Elphaba had disappeared. Galinda picked up the new boards, carrying them up the stairs and setting them where the old boards had been. She figured the first thing that needed to be repaired was the upper floor, seeing as it always creaked in a way that suggested it could give way any moment, and Galinda did not want to wake up and find herself on the first floor (and possibly injured). She had just started hammering when she heard a knocking on the door.

"You have a visitor," came Elphaba's disembodied voice.

"Right when I get to work…" The blonde made her way downstairs, taking off her gloves as she opened the door. Her eyes widened at seeing who it was. "Master Skarr."

"I hope I have not come at a bad time."

"N-no… I was just… working."

Roman stepped into the granary, glancing around. "I see you have made yourself at home here."

"Yes, well, I didn't really have the money to move elsewhere."

Roman nodded. "I'm glad to see you're comfortable here. I was a bit concerned about you, but you seem to be doing well. Tell me, how goes your project?"

"I've only just started, but I replaced the upstairs window, and I've begun replacing the upper floorboards—"

"I would have expected more for the amount of time you've been here."

That caught Galinda off-guard. "Well, I didn't have any tools until now—"

"And you left for a bit of time."

"I… how did you know that?"

"I came by to visit you; I was concerned about the cold weather, but you were curiously absent."

Well that wasn't creepy in the slightest. "Have you been keeping tabs on me?"

Roman looked down at the blonde. "Miss Galinda, I do not mean offense, but I do still own half of this granary. I respect your ambitions, but I am a business man, and if you aren't dedicated to this project—"

"I left to visit my family for Lurlinemas; I assure you, I am plenty dedicated." Galinda didn't like what he was implying.

"In any case, I should like to see more progress the next time I call upon you. If you cannot produce results, I will be forced to take matters into my own hands." He tipped his hat the blonde. "Good day."

Once he left, Galinda was appalled, to say the least. "I can't believe him! Checking up on me, accusing me of not being dedicated, threatening to take the granary back!" The blonde was obviously beside herself, and she huffed about, unable to resume working.

"What are you going to do about it?"

Galinda looked at the green woman, who had reappeared. "What—I'm going to keep working on the granary of course. Prove to him that he's wrong."

Elphaba shook her head. "That won't do anything."

"He said—"

"I know what he said; I was here. It still won't matter how much work you get done before he comes back; he is determined to destroy this granary, whether you finish working or not. He doesn't care."

Galinda frowned; she did not like the sound of all this. "So what do you suggest I do?"

"Go to the person higher than him."

A pause, and then, "You mean the Eminent Thropp?"

"From what you've told me, she and Master Skarr are not on the best terms."

Galinda sighed, crossing her arms. "What if she won't help me?"

"Then at least you tried."

The Frottican sighed again. She wasn't sure how she felt about seeing Nessarose again, but she had to admit that it was her only option at the moment. Elphaba was right; Master Skarr would not stop until he got what he wanted, no matter what Galinda did.

"All right… I suppose it's worth a shot." Galinda grabbed her coat, sliding into it and wrapping a scarf around her neck. She paused, glancing at the green woman. "Come with me."

"Wha—no."

"Elphaba, come on—"

"It's too risky."

"No one will see you."

"Something could go wrong."

"Don't you want to see your sister?"

Elphaba looked down, fiddling with the page of the book. Of course she wanted to see Nessa; she could remember very little of her sister, but she was afraid of what seeing Nessa would dredge up.

"Besides, maybe being back in the Colwen Grounds will help you remember more."

Elphaba was silent.

"Don't you want—"

"No."

Galinda blinked in surprise. "You don't know what I was going to say."

"I don't want to remember anything else." Elphaba looked up at the blonde. "Every time I remember something, it's nothing more than bits and fragments, and it leaves me with more questions than answers. And what if remembering my past doesn't even help me move on or whatever you want to call it? What if I am trapped here for eternity with horrible, painful memories? I do not have an escape from such, and I refuse to exist being tormented by my past."

There was a tense silence between the two.

"Elphaba…"

"You go talk to Nessa. I'll be here when you get back." The green woman disappeared, and Galinda sighed before she left the granary. Though Elphaba wouldn't admit it, the blonde knew she was in pain.

_I'm sorry Elphaba… I'll find a way to help you…_

* * *

"Galinda?" Boq looked confused at seeing the blonde. "Did you have an appointment with the Eminence?"

"No, but I need to see her. It's important."

Boq looked down at the book in front of him. "She's very busy today—"

"Elphaba's existence could be in danger."

The Munchkin sighed. "She's in between meetings right now, so you have about five minutes." He stood and led the blonde to the brunette's study, opening the door.

"Boq, what—"

"I apologize for the interruption, but Miss Galinda is here to see you. She says it's very important."

Nessa lowered the cup of tea she had been sipping. "Miss Galinda, please come in."

The Frottican did so, offering the brunette a nod. "Thank you for seeing me."

"Have you decided to accept my offer?"

"No, thank you though. I'm here to talk about a different matter… Master Skarr."

Nessa's features changed at that. "And what about him?"

Galinda could tell this was a tense subject. "Well, he came to the granary today, though his intentions were not of the friendly variety."

"Oh? Has he threatened you?"

The blonde shook her head. "Not explicitly… I have the feeling he means to tear down the granary, whether I finish restoring it or not, despite the fact that I have invested quite a bit of money in it."

Nessa's eyes narrowed. "I see he means to continue going behind my back. Master Skarr has been pressing for developments in that area, and I assume your work on the granary is standing in his way, not to mention that I have repeatedly turned down his plans."

"I am not so much worried about myself as I am about… well… your sister."

Nessa's eyes widened. "Has Elphaba returned?"

It was now that Galinda was faced with a choice: continue lying, or tell the Nessa the truth. "In a sense…"

"Has she said anything more to you? When will she return home?"

Galinda winced. This would not be easy, and Elphaba would most likely never forgive her, but if she had any intentions of stopping Master Skarr, then she needed Nessa on her side.

"Miss Nessarose… Your Eminence… there is something you need to know—"

"I think you need to leave."

Both women turned at the interruption, finding that it was Fiyero, and he looked none too happy.

"I just need to tell her the truth—"

"You want to continue lying to her."

"Enough!" Nessa gave the two stern looks. "Fiyero, I will listen to what Galinda has to say, and after I have heard it, I will determine whether or not it is a lie." The brunette turned back to the blonde. "What is it?"

"When I saw Elphaba before, I was telling the truth, I promise you. However, I led you to believe that she was still alive, which is not the case…"

Nessa's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? How could you have seen her if she wasn't alive?"

"Your sister… she's… well… Elphaba is a ghost."

Silence.

"This… is a joke, isn't it?" Nessa said slowly. "A cruel joke, but a joke nonetheless."

"I'm telling you the truth—"

"You're claiming that my sister is a ghost! Not only are you admitting to lying about seeing her alive, but now you're telling me that she's not only dead…" It was too much for the brunette to take in. "You need to leave."

"Please, I can prove it to you—"

"I said go, before I have you arrested!"

Galinda didn't budge. "Arresting me won't change the fact that Elphaba is dead, and someone is responsible for murdering her. As her sister, I would have thought you'd want to find out what happened."

Nessa shook her head. "Even if what you say is true, why hasn't she come here then? If she's a ghost, why haven't I seen her?"

"Because she can't leave the granary… that's where she was killed."

The brunette looked over at Fiyero. "You think she's dead, don't you?"

The Vinkan sighed. "Nessa… I wanted to believe she was still alive… but when her finger arrived… I just knew she was gone."

Nessa sighed, though she would not allow herself to be overcome by emotion. Not here. "All right. Prove it to me; take me to Elphaba."


	12. Chapter 12

Upon arriving at the granary, Galinda's stomach felt knotted tightly. It was too late to turn back now, and the blonde hoped she hadn't made a horrible mistake. She led Nessa and Fiyero up to the front door, pausing after she'd taken out her keys.

"She… she might not appear right away," the Frottican said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "She usually hides when people come in…" Galinda unlocked the door and opened it, leading the others inside. The granary was, as Galinda had expected, empty, and the blonde swallowed hard. "Elphaba?"

No reply. This would not be a good time for Elphaba to be stubborn.

"Elphaba, I know you're here."

Still nothing. Galinda was growing increasingly nervous, and she could feel Nessa's gaze on her. The blonde turned to face the brunette, who did not look amused.

"Look, she probably doesn't want you to see her…"

"I am finding it more and more difficult to believe you," Nessa replied, crossing her arms.

"Just… give me a minute." The blonde quickly made her way up the stairs, the wood creaking underneath her. "Elphaba, please don't do this to me now. Nessa is down there—"

"Why did you bring her here?"

Galinda turned towards the voice, but Elphaba was obviously choosing to remain unseen. "She can help us."

"I told you I didn't want to see her."

"Elphaba, you know I care about you, but I cannot stop Master Skarr on my own. We need Nessa's help, and for that to happen, she has to know the truth."

"And if I refuse?"

Galinda sighed. "I understand why you're upset, Elphaba… you told me you didn't want to remember anything more… but I can't stand the thought of something happening to you."

"I'm already dead; what more can happen?"

"You know what… if the granary is torn down, there's no telling what could happen to you…"

A sigh. "How much trouble will you be in if I don't show myself?"

Galinda looked down, fiddling with her shirt hem. "I'll probably be arrested… I might be arrested anyway. Nessa isn't happy…"

There was a long pause before Elphaba said, "Well if you go to prison, I might as well keep you company." Another sigh. "All right… just give me a minute."

Galinda nodded. "Thank you." She turned and headed back down the stairs, where Nessa and Fiyero were waiting impatiently.

"How much longer do you intend to keep us here?" Fiyero said.

"She'll just be another moment," Galinda replied.

"Send him away; I can't handle facing two people from my past right now," came Elphaba's voice in a whisper.

"She would prefer to see Nessa alone," the blonde added.

Fiyero's scowl deepened. "I am not leaving just because you—"

"Fiyero, wait outside," Nessa said.

"Nessa—"

"Go."

The Vinkan looked none too pleased, but he went outside, the heavy door closing behind him.

"All right, it's just me. Now where is Elphaba?" the Eminent Thropp said.

There was a pause before the green woman appeared beside the blonde. "Hello Nessie."

Nessa's eyes widened and the color left her face. "Elphaba…" she said weakly.

"Please don't be afraid."

"This… this can't be possible… you look the same as the day you disappeared… why are you here? Has the Unnamed God sent you to torment me? Is this punishment for not doing more to help you?"

"No, Nessa—" Elphaba took a step towards her sister.

"Stay back!" The brunette quickly backed up, her wheelchair catching a protruding plank and tipping over, sending Nessa to the floor.

"_Nessa please, listen to me—"_

"_No! Elphaba, what you're doing is ripping our family apart!"_

"_Our family was never whole to begin with! Please, just listen—"_

"_Stay away!"_

Elphaba quickly disappeared as Galinda ran to help the younger Thropp, straightening her chair and helping her back into it.

"Are you all right?" the Frottican asked.

"I… where's Elphaba?" Nessa looked at the spot where her sister had been standing, but the elder Thropp was gone. "Elphaba?"

Galinda turned as well, but Elphaba was nowhere to be seen. "She probably disappeared because she scared you… she won't hurt you, Nessa."

"Why is she here then?"

"I told you, she's bound to the granary. Whatever unfinished business she has is keeping her here."

There was a pause before Nessa wheeled forward a bit. "Elphaba, I'm sorry, I didn't mean… I didn't know… please come back."

The green woman made no motion of having heard her sister.

"Elphaba please." Nessa couldn't stop the tears that were beginning to well up in her eyes. "Elphaba, please come back. Don't disappear again…"

There was a long pause, and Galinda was about to tell Nessa to come back later, when the green woman slowly materialized.

"I didn't mean to scare you…" Elphaba said softly.

Nessa wheeled up to her sister slowly, reaching a hand out tentatively. Elphaba made herself corporeal, taking Nessa's hand in her own.

"You're freezing."

"It happens when one doesn't have any skin."

Nessa let out a somewhat choked laugh, and Elphaba released her hand. "Is it really you? Is this some horrible trick?"

"If it is, then Miss Galinda has managed to capture my likeness perfectly."

The brunette let out another small laugh. "It really is you…" Tears began running down the brunette's face, causing Elphaba to frown.

"Nessa…?"

"That night… ten years ago, when you disappeared… you were killed here?"

Elphaba nodded. "Yes."

The tears began falling faster now. "All these years… you really were gone… I thought you were just staying away from us… I blamed myself…"

"It wasn't your fault."

"I should have done more to stop you… I shouldn't have let you go."

Elphaba knelt down to her sister's level. "You couldn't have stopped me, no matter how hard you tried."

Nessa nodded. "You always were stubborn…"

"A Thropp family trait."

The brunette let out another choked laugh, and there was a pause before she asked, "Did… did you suffer… when you… you know…?"

The green woman shook her head. "Not that I can remember."

Nessa's brow furrowed. "What does that mean? Do you not remember how you died?"

The elder Thropp was silent for a few moments before replying, "I don't remember anything from when I was alive… only bits and pieces…"

Her sister's expression softened. "Nothing? Not me, not Shell… Mother?"

Elphaba shook her head.

"I suppose then it is useless to ask you what happened the night you disappeared then."

"The only thing I remember is that I was shot…" The green woman's gaze wandered to the stairs.

_The sound of wood creaking… her hand was holding her side as she forced herself up…_

"_I know you're up here."_

"Up there…"

Silence permeated the room.

"Do… do you want to know what happened before you left that night?" Nessa asked.

Elphaba glanced over at Galinda; the blonde understood that it was a difficult question.

"I… I suppose," the green woman replied, looking back at her sister.

Nessa nodded, taking a deep breath before she began. "You were going out with Fiyero that night to some Animal Rights protest. Mother wasn't happy…"

* * *

"_Where are you going?"_

"_Out."_

_Melena Thropp let out a low growl. "You're going to that protest, aren't you?"_

_Elphaba chose not to reply._

"_Elphaba Thropp, don't you ignore me!" Melena seized her daughter's arm, and dark eyes met._

"_You can't tell me what to do; I'm old enough to make my own decisions."_

"_That may be true, but you still haven't learned any common sense."_

_Elphaba tried to pull away, but Melena only tightened her grip._

"_You are not going to this protest, do you hear me?"_

"_Why? Don't pretend as if you're worried about what will happen to me; I know this is about our social standing."_

_Melena's eyes narrowed at that._

"_Fiyero is waiting for me." The green woman pulled free from her mother's grasp and started for the door._

"_Don't you walk out on me, Elphaba!"_

"_I'll be home late."_

"_Elphaba Thropp, so help me, if you leave this house, don't expect to be welcomed back!"_

_The green woman paused, and Nessa held her breath from where she watching at the top of the stairs._

"_Goodbye Mother," Elphaba said before she left the house, closing the door behind her._

_Angry tears were welling up in Melena's eyes, and she quickly followed, standing in the doorway and yelling, "Fine, don't come back! Do you hear me? You are dead to this family, Elphaba!"_

* * *

"After you left… we never saw you again…"

Elphaba was silent for a few moments before she said, "I suppose Mother was rather prophetic that night…"

"When you went missing, Mother lost her mind… or what was left of it. She drank all the time… and on the rare occasions she wasn't drinking, she was chewing pinobble leaves. She never forgave herself for what happened to you… one month later, we found her dead in her bedroom…" Nessa reached into some hidden pocket, pulling out a picture that had obviously been handled many times. "She was holding this."

Elphaba took the picture from her sister, dark eyes widening slightly. There was a much younger looking Melena, pressing a kiss to the forehead of small baby with skin as green as sin in her arms.

"I don't recall Mother ever being so affectionate, especially towards me," Elphaba said thickly, handing the picture back. She could not remember of course, but in all the memories that had returned to her, Melena had never seemed to maternal type.

"Mother was never the most affectionate, no… but you were her first child, and there always existed a sort of special bond between you two," Nessa said.

The green woman was struggling to process everything Nessa had told her, and she wanted nothing more than to disappear.

"So Fiyero was the last person to see you alive," Galinda said, breaking the silence.

"Why was he with me?" Elphaba asked. "Was he a bodyguard then too?"

The Eminent Thropp's brow furrowed. "You don't remember?"

Elphaba gave her sister a look.

"Right. You and Fiyero were dating back then."

The green woman was caught a bit off-guard by that, as was Galinda.

"Dating?"

_The two of them running through a corn field, the stalks whizzing by as they laughed… _

"_Some great hunter you are!"_

"Yero…" The specter looked over at the Frottican. "Did you neglect to tell me this?"

"He never mentioned it to me," Galinda protested.

"Do you want to talk to him?" Nessa asked.

Elphaba shook her head, "No… I can't… I'm sorry…" The green woman disappeared, much to Nessa's distress.

"Elphaba!"

"She needs time," Galinda supplied. "But now do you understand why I came to you? If Master Skarr gets his way and destroys the granary, there is no telling what could happen to your sister."

Nessa nodded; she now understood the gravity of the situation, and had transitioned back into Eminent Thropp mode. "I will make sure no such thing happens." A pause. "Thank you…"

"For what?" Galinda was genuinely confused; Nessa couldn't possibly be thanking her for lying about her sister being alive.

"Closure."

The Frottican gave her a nod, which Nessa returned.

"If you should need me, don't hesitate to call," she said before she turned and started for the door, pausing to add, "Goodbye Elphaba."

Once the door had closed behind the Eminent Thropp, Galinda let out a sigh, partially of relief and partially from the weight that now felt added to her heart. She looked around for any sign of the Munchkin, knowing that this couldn't easy on her. "Elphaba?"

"I need time to process all this…"

"Are… are more memories returning?"

There was no reply to that, and Galinda let out another sigh.

"If you want to talk… I'll be here."

* * *

"Are you going to tell me what happened in there?"

From where she sat in the backseat, Nessa let out a sigh. She hadn't said a word to Fiyero since she'd emerged from the granary, and the Vinkan was a bit concerned.

"I saw her… Elphaba…"

Fiyero inhaled softly and glanced at the Eminent Thropp in the rearview mirror. "She was alive?"

Nessa shook her head. "No… Galinda was telling the truth… Elphaba is dead…"

"So she really is… a ghost?"

"Yes…" The brunette fought against tears that were threatening to form.

Fiyero turned his attention back to the road, and there was silence again.

"You were the last one to see her alive…"

"Nessa, we've been over this a hundred times; I already told you what happened that night—"

"Yes, you got separated, but why didn't you make more of an effort to find her?"

"I searched all night—"

"Well it wasn't enough, was it? Because someone got to her first and shot her!"

Silence.

"Does she remember what happened?" the Vinkan asked softly.

"No… she doesn't remember anything… just fragments of memories…" Nessa sighed and shook her head. "I can't imagine what it must be like… to exist without any memories of who you were… it must be terribly lonely…" The tears were welling up again. "She's been alone all this time… if Galinda hadn't found her…" The brunette couldn't continue.

"But she did, and we're not going to let anyone else hurt Elphaba," Fiyero said.

Nessa nodded. "You're right…"

* * *

That night found Galinda continuing to work on the upper floor, replacing the old boards. Elphaba had remained hidden, and the blonde could understand that she needed time to herself, what with everything that had happened today.

A new song came pouring out of the wireless speaker Galinda had set up, and the Frottican fished around for the remote, changing the song once she found it.

"If one is going to play music, it would be polite to ask what one's roommate likes as well."

Galinda started at the voice, and she looked around, trying to locate where Elphaba might be. "Well, I would have, had one not been hiding. Besides, I didn't want to bother you… you've been through a lot today."

The green woman suddenly appeared in front of the blonde, causing Galinda to let out a squeak of surprise.

"Some warning would be nice…"

"You should be used to it by now."

A pause.

"So…?"

A slim eyebrow rose. "So?"

Galinda gave the specter a look. "Elphaba."

"What?"

"You know what I'm referring to."

"Perhaps you should be a bit more specific."

The blonde let out a sigh, setting her hammer aside and sitting back. "How are you feeling about everything that happened today?"

"Ah." A pause as Elphaba considered. "What Nessa told me… I had remembered fragments of it before… the argument with my mother, I mean… but I had no idea that my death had had such an impact on my family." The green woman let out a sigh (as much as one ghost could). "And Fiyero… if he and I were dating, why didn't he tell you?"

"Maybe he didn't think it was important."

"The most surprising part is the fact that someone would even date me in the first place."

Galinda rolled her eyes. "That isn't surprising."

"No?"

"You have plenty of traits that others might find attractive."

"Really? What does it for you? Is it the fact that my skin is green, or maybe the fact that I'm made of angles instead of curves?"

"Oh, stop it Elphie."

A slim eyebrow rose.

Galinda flushed lightly. "You see the green as a bad thing, but I think it makes you look a bit exotic."

"Well, that's one I haven't heard before."

Another pause, during which Galinda tucked a stray curl behind her ear. A new song came out of her speaker, and Elphaba looked over at it.

"I think I actually know this song," she said after a few moments.

"Shocking, considering your advanced age," Galinda teased.

The green woman gave her a look, which the blonde ignored as she approached the Munchkin, holding her hands out.

"What?"

"Come on, dance with me."

Both eyebrows rose at that. "You do realize you are asking a ghost to dance, and even if I wasn't such, I would still say no."

Galinda pouted. "Please?"

Elphaba made the mistake of looking at her, and she let out a sigh. "Fine." She made herself corporeal, taking the blonde's hands gently. "Don't expect much; it has been quite some time since I did anything of this sort."

Galinda smiled. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

Elphaba was a bit clumsy at first, but somewhere in the back of memory, something was reminding her that she knew how to dance, and her feet began to move seemingly of their own accord.

"See, you do remember," Galinda commented after the green woman had led her through a spin.

"Somehow." For her own part, Elphaba was surprisingly enjoying being so close to Galinda; she would even go so far as to say she wished she could actually feel the blonde's hands in her own.

The song came to an end, and the two ended rather close to one another, Galinda looking up into Elphaba's dark eyes. She offered the green woman a smile, which Elphaba returned crookedly.

"Thank you Elphaba," the blonde said, pushing herself up onto her toes and pressing a kiss to Elphaba's cheek.

The Munchkin was sure if she could blush, she would have at that moment, and she chose to disappear instead.

"Sorry… it just took a lot of energy to stay corporeal for so long," she said after seeing the look on Galinda's face.

Galinda let out a noise of affirmation, a yawn soon following. "I think I'm going to call it a night." The blonde began to pick up her tools and supplies, setting them aside. She turned her music off before dragging her mattress back to its spot. "Good night Elphie," she said, turning off the light.

"Fresh dreams."

Elphaba chose to remain hidden for the rest of night, on the off chance that she might have the misfortune of being the first ghost to ever show evidence of flushing.


	13. Chapter 13

"I must admit, I was rather surprised when I was told that you wished to meet with me—"

"Do not mistake my intentions as sympathetic towards you," Nessa said, interrupting Master Skarr. "I have merely called you here because it is easier to assert my authority in person."

Roman's grip on his hat tightened. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Stay away from the granary and Galinda."

A pause. "I don't know what she has been telling you—"

"I know you well enough to know that she is telling me the truth. As Eminent Thropp, I am ordering you now to keep your distance."

"Nessa—"

"I am Your Eminence to you."

Roman grit his teeth. "Your Eminence, please reconsider—"

"I will not. This is your final warning; if I find out that you have gone behind my back again, I will have you arrested, and trust me, incarceration here will make you wish for Southstairs." Nessa paused to make sure her point had gotten across. "Am I understood?"

"Of course."

"Good. Now get out."

Roman gave her a nod, leaving the room and starting down the hall. It was obvious that he needed to switch tactics, and begin taking a more aggressive approach.

* * *

"All right Elphaba, I'm heading out."

"Don't end up like me."

Galinda rolled her eyes; it was Elphaba's way of saying stay safe. "That gets funnier every time you say it."

"I'm glad you think so."

The blonde shook her head before heading outside, and Elphaba soon heard her car driving away. The green woman returned to her book, and she hadn't been reading for very long before she heard the door unlock and open again.

"You really should make sure you have everything before you leave, blondie."

"Elphaba…"

The Munchkin froze; that was not Glinda's voice. She looked up, standing quickly when she saw Fiyero in the doorway, looking right at her.

"Galinda was telling the truth all along…"

It was too late to disappear now, though that was all she wanted to do. "Fiyero…"

The Vinkan approached, and Elphaba took a step back; she hadn't wanted to face him, not yet. "You look exactly like you did the last time I saw you…"

"That happens when one dies." It had come out harsher than intended, but Elphaba had come to be less concerned with the feelings of others.

Fiyero's expression softened. "Yes, I suppose so…"

Silence.

"What… how much do you remember… from that night?" the Vinkan asked.

"Only that I was shot here…" A pause, and Elphaba's fists clenched. "I know you were the last person to see me…"

"I… yes…"

The green woman nodded. "Why didn't you tell Galinda about us? Are you embarrassed by me, because I could understand that."

"No… I just… look, after you disappeared, I was suspect number one. There are still people who believe I was the one who killed you… and I figured it would be easier to clear my name if I distanced myself from you."

Another pause.

"What happened that night?" Elphaba asked.

"I don't think I should tell you—"

"You don't get to decide what I am allowed to know. I am dead, Fiyero; my life has ended. I deserve answers at least."

The Vinkan sighed, but he knew she was right. "When I came to pick you up… you were livid… you had just fought with your mother…"

* * *

"_Everything all right?"_

"_It's fine," Elphaba spat, tugging on the seatbelt and buckling it harshly._

"_Are you sure—"_

"_Just drive."_

_Fiyero figured it was best not to pry, so he did as the green woman said and pulled away from the curb, starting down the street._

_Upon arriving at the protest destination, Elphaba got out of the car angrily, starting for the assembled crowd without even waiting for her companion._

"_Elphaba, hold on!" The Vinkan quickly followed, soon locating the Munchkin._

"_You are all trespassing; leave the premises immediately."_

_Fiyero swore under his breath; the Gale Force was already here, which could only mean trouble. "Elphaba, let's go—"_

_A Gale Force officer suddenly thrust the butt of his rifle into the stomach of a protestor who had gotten too close, and all hell broke loose._

"_Elphaba!" Fiyero called, desperately searching for the green woman, which was near impossible in the crowd of people. There was the sudden sound of gunshots, and Fiyero flinched, hands coming up to cover his head. People were panicking and fleeing now, but there was still no sign of the eldest Thropp._

"_Elphaba!"_

* * *

"I searched all night for you… the next morning, I had to tell your family what happened… I don't think they ever forgave me."

Elphaba didn't respond, something stirring in the deep recesses of her mind. "You said you heard gunshots…"

Fiyero nodded.

_The sound of gunshots rang out… her side suddenly exploded in pain, and when she put her hand to it, it came back red._

"I think… I think I was hit…" Elphaba glanced out the window, her gaze scanning the landscape. "Where was the protest being held?"

"At a slaughterhouse about a mile from here… it closed down soon after."

The green woman looked back down.

_She had to keep moving… her blood was dripping onto the dirt, reminding her just how much she was losing…_

"I came here… I was looking for somewhere safe…"

"You walked a mile with a gunshot wound?"

"Apparently so…" A pause. "Not that it mattered in the end; this is where I was killed."

Fiyero took another step towards her. "Elphaba… I'm so sorry… I should have done more—"

"You sound like Nessa," Elphaba said with a slightly sad smile. "You've both been blaming yourself all these years for my death… but there was nothing either of you could have done."

"I still feel responsible—"

"Don't, Fiyero."

"No, I need to. It's been ten years... and I've lived with this guilt every day."

Elphaba couldn't look at him; she hated what he was doing, how he was making her feel. "What do you want me to say?"

"I want your forgiveness…"

The green woman let out a short, humorless laugh. "Is that what this is? You want to come in here and lay down your burden at my feet in hopes it will clear your conscience?"

"Elphaba—"

"Stop; I will not spend the rest of this existence carrying whatever guilt you may have around. You may have an escape, but I am not so fortunate."

The Vinkan's heart sank at that, and he reached out as if to touch her, but Elphaba moved away. "Fae…"

"Please don't." A pause. "I… I think you should go."

"Elphaba—"

"Goodbye Fiyero," the green woman said before she disappeared.

"Elphaba, wait!"

No response.

"Elphaba, please!"

The Munchkin ignored his pleas, and after a few more moments, the Vinkan had to admit defeat.

"Elphaba… I'm sorry…" Fiyero removed the chain from around his neck, setting it on the drafting table before he left the granary, the door closing heavily behind him.

There was a club that suddenly came down on him, and there must have been pain, but he was too surprised to notice, and the darkness of unconsciousness quickly followed.

* * *

"Ugh, I really need a new job that does not include trekking through dirt." Galinda removed her shoes, inspecting them critically. "I mean, I'm not saying that I'm adverse to manual labor, but one's shoes can only handle so much."

No reply; Galinda had at least expected some sort of snarky reply.

"Elphaba?" The blonde made her way upstairs, frowning when there was still no sign of the green woman. "Elphaba, this isn't funny."

"Sorry… I was thinking…"

The Frottican turned towards the voice, seeing Elphaba sitting by the window. "Are you all right?"

The green woman paused before saying, "It's too much…"

"What do you mean?"

Elphaba shook her head. "Fiyero came while you were gone… he wanted to unburden himself of his guilt… he wants me to forgive me."

"For what?"

"He feels responsible for what happened that night." Elphaba shook her head. "I can't handle the burden of holding everyone's guilt… they want me to forgive them for my death…"

Galinda approached the green woman, wanting to touch her, but afraid of how the Munchkin would react.

"It's too much… I can't be tortured by this for the rest of my existence."

"Elphaba… I'm sorry… I didn't mean for any of this to happen…"

The green woman was silent.

"Elphaba…"

"Take me to the Colwen Grounds."

Galinda was taken aback. "What?"

The Munchkin looked at her companion. "I need closure; if I must return to my home and allow more memories to resurface, then so be it."

The blonde wasn't entirely sure she liked what Elphaba was implying. "You want to move on?" It was selfish of Galinda to want to keep Elphaba here, she knew that, but she couldn't help it; she had grown fond of the specter, after all.

Elphaba looked down. "If it is an escape… then maybe."

* * *

"Galinda, it's a bit late for you to be calling on me—"

"Elphaba is with me."

Nessa paused, glancing around before opening the door to her study wider and ushering the blonde in. "How is she with you?" the brunette asked once the door was closed. "I thought she couldn't leave the granary."

"Not on her own she can't. She can leave if she attaches herself to me though."

Nessa raised an eyebrow.

"I don't fully understand it either."

The Eminent Thropp glanced around the room. "Elphaba?"

The green woman appeared, causing Nessa to start a bit. "Hello Nessie."

"You took a big risk, bringing her here," Nessa said, giving Galinda a look.

"I asked her to," Elphaba said. She glanced around the room, moving to Nessa's desk and examining it.

"Why?"

"Fiyero came to see me, hoping to lay down his burden of guilt at my feet," Elphaba answered, turning to face her sister. "I had hoped by coming here that I would regain more of my memories, and perhaps finally have closure."

Nessa nodded. "You want to move on?"

"So you know about that too?"

"Well, of course. Your soul wishes to move on to be with the Unnamed God—"

"Don't start that, Nessie. I may not remember much, but I do remember that I cannot stand your staunch religion."

The Eminent Thropp looked like she had more to say, but she refrained, instead watching as Elphaba explored the room.

"Was this room always like this?" the green woman asked after a few more moments.

Nessa nodded. "Yes, this has always been the Eminent Thropp's study. We weren't allowed in as children."

The eldest Thropp nodded before turning back to her sister. "Can you show me where my room was?"

"I can take you as far as the stairs," Nessa said.

Elphaba nodded before disappearing, and Galinda felt her reattach. The blonde followed the Eminent Thropp as she wheeled from the room, making her way to the base of the stairs.

"Elphaba used to carry me upstairs… when she disappeared, Mother moved my room downstairs." Nessa paused once they reached the foot of the stairs. "It's the last door at the end of the hall."

Galinda nodded before she ascended the stairs, starting down the hallway. Upon reaching the last door, she pushed it open, reaching for the light and switching it on.

The room itself looked untouched; the bed by the window had a thin brown blanket on it, covered with a fine layer of dust. Bookcases lined the wall, stuffed past capacity, and the desk was a mess of papers.

Elphaba appeared next to the blonde, moving into the center of the room and looking around. "I… remember this…" she started slowly, moving to the bookcases and letting her hand hover over the spines. "Reading was all I ever wanted to do…"

Galinda had moved to the nightstand, where a bent pair of glasses sat. She picked them up, noticing that the lenses were shattered. "You wore glasses?"

Elphaba turned, approaching the blonde and making herself corporeal so she could take the glasses from her.

_Her chest was heaving as she leaned against the wall, desperately trying to stop the bleeding…_

"_You must have dropped these; you really should be more careful."_

_There was the sound of something being crushed under a heavy boot._

"_Ah well. You won't need them anyway."_

"After I dragged myself to the granary… I must have dropped them… whoever found me crushed them…" Elphaba set them back down.

"Why are they back here then?"

The green woman shook her head, turning to the desk. "Animal Rights… that was my area of study," she said, glancing down at the papers. "I was going to make a difference for them…"

Galinda could hear the pain in her voice, and she placed a hand on her arm gently. "I'm sure you would have."

Elphaba let out a ghostly sigh. "Let's go back to Nessa… maybe there's something else she can tell us."

Galinda nodded, and once she felt Elphaba reattach, she left the room, closing the door behind her. She was halfway down the hall when she felt Elphaba suddenly leave her. "Elphaba?"

The green woman was pushing open another door, and the Frottican followed. This room appeared to be a master bedroom, and it also looked untouched.

"This room… this was my mother's room," Elphaba said, making her way over to the bed. An odd sensation fell over her as she looked at the bed—

_Her mind was unraveling… the alcohol was gone, she needed the leaves… two, three at a time… it didn't matter, just enough to make her forget…_

Elphaba took a step back. "She died here…"

"How do you know?"

"I saw it… at least, I heard her last thoughts… she was trying to forget something…" The green woman turned away, her gaze falling on a worn notebook on the bedside table. She picked it up, opening to a random page.

_She knows, she knows what I did, she knows I drove her to this. The haunting will start soon, the ghosts will come, so I need to forget, need to purge this from my mind._

Her mother's scrawled handwriting looked frantic and desperate, and Elphaba found herself feeling sorry for her.

"What is it?" Galinda asked, noticing the change in the green woman.

Elphaba shook her head. "Just the rantings of a woman losing her mind." She set the notebook back down. "We should go."

The Frottican had a feeling there was more, but she didn't argue, instead waiting for Elphaba to reattach before she started down the stairs.

"Well?" Nessa asked from where she was waiting.

Galinda shook her head. "The only thing that seemed odd was the smashed pair of glasses in Elphaba's room. She said she was wearing them the night she was killed; do you know how they got there?"

The brunette frowned before shaking her head. "I had no idea they were even in there; no one has been in Elphaba's room since she died, at least not to my knowledge."

"I see…" A pause. "Thank you Nessa."

The Eminent Thropp nodded. "I hope you find closure soon Elphaba."

* * *

Upon awakening, Fiyero was met with a splitting headache. The Vinkan let out a groan, making a to put a hand to his head, but finding that his wrists had been bound to the arms of the chair he was currently sitting in.

"Glad you finally decided to wake up."

A bright light was suddenly lit, causing the Vinkan to wince and keeping him from seeing who was speaking. "If you think you're going to use me to get to the Eminent Thropp—"

"Nessarose is a concern for another time; I am more interested in Elphaba."

Fiyero's eyes widened slightly. "Elphaba Thropp has been missing for ten years."

"You can drop the act; we both know she's dead, and her ghost is currently inhabiting the granary."

The Vinkan didn't reply, instead pulling on his restraints.

"I can see you're the impatient type, so I'll get right down to business: you're going to help me get Miss Galinda out of the granary, or she'll be crushed along with it."

It was obvious now who he was talking to. "Go ahead; you set foot near that granary and the Eminent Thropp will rain legal brimstone down on you so hard, it will make the Unnamed God jealous."

"While Miss Nessarose is rather proficient in her position, her disability is rather unfortunate, isn't it? It would be a shame if she were caught in a situation where it would be difficult for her to get to safety alone… for example, a fire—"

"You wouldn't dare."

"I wouldn't, no, but accidents do happen. Much like the accident that could befall Miss Galinda if she remains in the granary, so you must ask yourself if someone who is already dead matters more."

Silence.

"I can see this is difficult for you, so I'll give you time to decide."

The light was switched off, and the Vinkan was left alone in the darkness.


	14. Chapter 14

"Boq, have you seen Fiyero?"

The Munchkin shook his head. "Not since yesterday."

Nessa frowned; it wasn't like Fiyero to just up and leave without saying anything to her. The brunette picked up her phone, dialing the Vinkan's number and listening to it ring.

"Fiyero, where are you? No one has seen you; call me back." The Eminent Thropp hung up with a sigh.

* * *

"That's the third time she's called."

Fiyero looked up at that, seeing Master Skarr holding his phone. "She knows something is wrong."

"Well, we wouldn't want to keep Her Eminence waiting, so I suppose you had better make up your mind soon."

* * *

Galinda needed a distraction, and at the moment, work was the best option. The blonde turned on the light for her drafting table, and her gaze fell on a silver ring on a chain. She picked it up, recognizing it as the ring Fiyero had been wearing. She considered asking Elphaba about it, but the green woman had disappeared as soon as they had arrived back at the granary, and Galinda had a feeling she wasn't much in the mood for chatting.

"He left that here," Elphaba suddenly said, startling the blonde and causing her to jump.

"Lurline, Elphaba…" There was a pause as the blonde tried to slow her racing heart. "Fiyero?"

The green woman nodded. "I'm not entirely sure why… maybe he meant it as some sort of apology." She approached, making herself corporeal and holding her hand out. Galinda handed the ring off to her, and Elphaba held it close to her face, examining it.

"_I know you've never been one for sentiment, but you're a Thropp woman whether you like it or not."_

"My mother gave this to me when I turned sixteen…" Elphaba unhooked the chain, removing the ring and sliding it onto her finger. She smiled slightly, though Galinda could see the sadness in her eyes.

"Elphaba?"

"I'm fine." Elphaba removed the ring.

Silence.

"Nessa should have this."

"But your mother gave it to you."

Elphaba gave a half shrug. "I was the eldest… I should have watched out for her… I was supposed to bear the burden of being Eminent Thropp… she's been through enough without having that thrust upon her as well." The green woman handed the ring over to the Frottican. "Besides, ghosts don't really have much of a need for jewelry."

Galinda looked down at the ring, then back at her companion. "Perhaps this would mean more coming from you?"

Elphaba shook her head. "I can't face her again… not with this… please, Galinda."

The blonde sighed, but what could she do? "All right, Elphaba… I'll take it to her."

"Thank you…"

Galinda gave her a small smile, and pressed a kiss to Elphaba's cheek before she could revert to her usual state. The green woman mentally flushed, turning to watch the blonde leave.

"See you later, Elphie."

Elphaba raised a hand in acknowledgement, though a knot of guilt was forming in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

"Galinda? Are you here?" Fiyero opened the door to the granary slowly, scanning the room. He stepped inside, calling out, "Galinda?"

The door suddenly slammed shut, and the Vinkan whipped around.

"She's not here; I sent her away," Elphaba said, appearing beside the door.

"Elphaba..." A pause. "Wait… you sent her away? Why?"

"Because I had a feeling you'd be showing up sooner or later." The green woman crossed her arms, her gaze wandering. "I know why you're here."

"What do you mean?"

Elphaba gave him a look. "When I saw the blood outside, I had a feeling that perhaps something had happened to you. I was going to tell Nessa, but I wasn't sure if I was just being paranoid. It can happen when one is dead, you understand. However, your being here has only confirmed my suspicions." The Munchkin looked away again. "He wants me out… the man whose face I can't remember… and he's using you to get his way."

Fiyero sighed; he couldn't deny what the green woman was saying. "Elphaba… I didn't want this to happen. If there was another way…"

"There is."

The Vinkan's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Dark eyes bored into him. "I'll do it; I'll get rid of Galinda. I will absolve you of any guilt in this matter; you need only watch out for Nessa."

"Elphaba, don't—"

"You were going to choose them over me anyway, and why shouldn't you? They're both still alive… they did not ask to be associated with me, so why should their lives come to an end just because mine has?" Elphaba's form shuddered, her version of a sigh. "You can tell that man that he'll get what he wants… I'll stop fighting, but he must promise to leave Galinda alone."

The Vinkan nodded somewhat dumbly, turning to leave, but pausing. "Elphaba… I really am sorry. I wish there was something I could do for you."

The green woman smiled sadly. "Everyone wishes that, and I am still dead… Goodbye, Fiyero."

* * *

"Miss Nessarose?"

No reply. The Eminent Thropp didn't move from where she was gazing out the window.

"Miss Nessarose? Your Eminence?"

"Hmm?" The brunette looked up, her gaze focusing on Boq who was standing in the doorway. "Oh, Boq… I'm sorry, what was it you needed?"

"Galinda is here to see you."

"Send her in."

The Munchkin nodded, and a few moments later, Galinda entered.

"Hello, Miss Galinda," the brunette greeted, wheeling over to her. "I apologize for seeming distracted, but… you haven't heard from Fiyero recently, have you?"

The blonde shook her head. "No, I haven't. Did something happen?"

"I'm not entirely sure. No one can get ahold of him, and it's not in his nature to ignore my calls. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I am a bit worried." A pause. "I'm sorry, you didn't come here to listen to me. What can I do for you?"

It took Galinda a moment to remember. "Oh, well… apparently Fiyero went to see Elphaba and he left this behind… she wanted me to give it to you." The blonde produced the ring from her pocket, holding it out to Nessa.

Nessa's eyes widened slightly. "This is our mother's ring…" She took it carefully, turning it over in her hands. "But why did he leave it with her? He's worn it since the day… well…"

Galinda nodded, sparing Nessa from having to finish. "Elphaba thinks he left it as some sort of apology… I asked her if she wanted to keep it, but she thought it better for you to have it."

Nessa didn't reply, instead sliding the ring onto her finger. She had just opened her mouth when the door suddenly opened, revealing Fiyero.

"Nessa, I—" His gaze fell on Galinda, and he stopped.

"Fiyero!" The brunette quickly wheeled over to him. "Where have you been? I have been worried sick!"

"I'm sorry, I… I had to deal with a family issue."

"You could have said something. I called you multiple times—"

"Lost my phone."

Nessa crossed her arms, not looking entirely convinced.

"I'm back now, and as you can see, I am uninjured."

"I suppose."

A silence passed between the three.

"I don't mean to sound like I'm sending you away, but was there anything else Galinda?" the Eminent Thropp asked; it was obvious she still wanted more answers out of Fiyero.

"No, that was all…" Galinda looked between the two before she said, "Well… goodbye then."

As the door closed behind her, the blonde heard Nessa saying, "Now, what was this family emergency that you just had to deal with?"

* * *

"I'm back," Galinda announced upon entering the granary. "I gave the ring to Nessa like you asked; she wants to know why you didn't keep it."

"We need to talk."

The Frottican looked up, seeing the green woman materialize in front of her. "Is everything all right?"

Elphaba looked away. "Look, the past few months have been… less lonely, but I think it's time for you to go."

Well, Galinda certainly hadn't been expecting that. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Elphaba… where is this coming from?"

The Munchkin shrugged. "I just think you should stop wasting your time here."

"I'm not—"

"Come on, Galinda, who is really going to come out to this place? All your hard work is going to be for nothing; I'm dead, so the state of this place means little to me."

Galinda stared, unsure of how to respond. "Elphaba, we've talked about this before. I'm not going to just leave—"

"Well maybe that's not your decision to make," the green woman snapped. "I was perfectly content with my existence before you came along."

"You didn't seem content—"

"I was fine! Maybe it was lonely, yes, but at least I wasn't plagued with memories from when I was alive! Ever since you arrived, I have been forced to remember events from my life that I must exist with now, my sister now knows I am dead and a wandering spirit, and Fiyero wants nothing more than to lay his burdens at my feet! You have brought me nothing but trouble, and I have had enough."

Galinda felt as though she'd been slapped; Elphaba had never yelled at her like this before. "I was only trying to help—"

"I didn't ask for your association! If you really want to help, leave before you do any more damage! My existence may be miserable, but it is mine, and I deserve this shred of control!"

The blonde took a step towards the specter. "Elphaba, let's talk about this—"

"We're done talking! Get out!"

"Elphaba—"

"GET OUT!" Elphaba suddenly lunged for her, making herself corporeal as she wrapped her hands around the blonde's throat, pinning her up against the wall.

Galinda barely had time to scream, "Elphaba!" as she tried to pry the Munchkin off. She couldn't imagine why the green woman was acting this way, and as she looked into dark eyes, she could have sworn she saw something resembling tears forming (as impossible as she knew that was).

Elphaba suddenly disappeared, and Galinda looked around the room, her chest heaving.

"Just go…"

Galinda wasn't sure what was going on with Elphaba, and while she didn't believe the green woman would actively injure her, she was beginning to grow concerned. As she lay down to sleep that night, all the fear from her first night suddenly returned; she'd never thought she'd be afraid of Elphaba again, and yet, something was definitely amiss with the green woman. She couldn't just ask because Elphaba certainly wasn't talking… Galinda could only hope that this phase wouldn't last long.

Upon waking up the next morning, Galinda found that everything she had hung on the walls had been pulled down, and was currently lying on the floor.

"Really, Elphaba, this is very childish of you," the blonde said as she began to pick up the map of Oz. She held it against the wall in preparation to put it back up when she felt a tug, threatening to pull it back down. "Elphaba, stop it."

Another tug, stronger this time.

"You wanted this up in the first place!"

Elphaba tugged again, and Galinda let the map go, watching it fall to the floor.

"Why are you being this way? At least make yourself visible if you're going to act like this!"

No response came from the green woman, but Galinda heard the sound of crumpling paper, and she turned towards her drafting table, seeing that Elphaba had turned her attention to her plans.

"Elphaba, don't—"

A paper ball came sailing at her, and Galinda ducked to avoid it.

"Elphaba!"

Another soon came at her, and the blonde hit it away.

"Elphaba, stop it!"

Her plea fell on deaf ears, for the green woman continued to throw paper balls at her, and Galinda had finally had enough.

"Fine! You want me gone, fine! I'm leaving so you can get over whatever this is and come back to your senses!" The blonde went to grab her suitcase, though upon opening it, her clean clothes came flying out, becoming strewn across the floor.

"I said I'm leaving, so you can stop!" Galinda practically screamed, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She quickly gathered up her clothes and other essentials and packed them away, snapping her suitcase closed. She quickly stood, grabbing both her suitcase and purse before she left, slamming the door behind her.

Upon hearing the lock click, Elphaba quickly moved to the window, watching Galinda make her way out to her car before driving off. Had the green woman a heart, she was sure she would have felt it sink, heavy with guilt.

"I'm sorry…"

* * *

"Who in the name of the Unnamed God is calling at this hour?" Nessa grumbled as she rolled sleepily towards the front door. She had been woken earlier by the sound of incessant knocking, and once it had become apparent that it wasn't going away, she had resigned herself to having to find out whoever it was (and what they wanted at such an ungodly hour).

"Whoever you are, you had better have a good reason for this—" Nessa stopped upon seeing who it was. "Galinda?"

The blonde stood there, clutching her suitcase. "I… I apologize for coming so late… it's just… well, I had been driving around all day, and I couldn't exactly go back home, but then it started to get late and I wasn't sure where to go, and I couldn't spend another night in my car, so I came here and I see that I woke you and I just—"

"Take a breath," Nessa interrupted, still trying to process everything the blonde had said. "Why aren't you at the granary?"

Galinda opened her mouth to reply, but a choked sound came out, and sapphire eyes filled with tears.

Nessa immediately took that as bad news. "Did something happen? Is Elphaba all right?"

Galinda just shook her head, not trusting her voice. She felt ridiculous, standing here on the Eminent Thropp's doorstep, clutching her belongings like a child who has run away from home.

"Come inside, and we can talk." The brunette opened the door wider, and Galinda made her way inside, soon following. A few minutes later, they were both comfortably seated, cups of tea in hand.

"Now, tell me what happened," Nessa started, sipping at her tea.

Galinda looked down at the cup in her hands, taking a deep breath and hoping her voice wouldn't shake. "I don't know… last night, after I came back from visiting you… Elphaba started acting very strange. She yelled at me… said I ruined her existence… then she tried to attack me." The blonde shivered at the memory. "This morning was no different… so I left."

Nessa frowned. "This is concerning news… she didn't tell you why she started acting this way?"

Galinda shook her head. "I don't know what happened… it's as if all of a sudden… she just hates me." A tear slid down the Frottican's face. "She hates me and I don't know why."

"She doesn't hate you. Something must have happened; we just need to figure out what."

"How are we going to do that? Elphaba isn't going to be any help."

"That's true." Nessa let out a sigh. "There must be something we can do."

Silence.

"I'm too exhausted to think," Galinda said after a few minutes. "I'm sorry for coming at such a late hour; if you could just point me in the direction of a good hotel—"

"Don't be ridiculous, you'll stay here."

Galinda's eyes widened. "I couldn't possibly—"

"Of course you could; there is more than enough room here, and we need to figure out what's happening with Elphaba. You'll rest here, and in the morning, you and I will consider this problem further."

The blonde stood with a nod. "Thank you."

* * *

Elphaba had forgotten how lonely nights could be. She had grown accustomed to having Galinda around, and now that the blonde was gone, the emptiness of the granary was beginning to push in on her. The green woman had tried to read, but that had been futile, so she was now pacing the granary instead.

The lock suddenly clicked open, and the green woman turned, hardly daring to believe it. "Galinda, listen, I—" She stopped upon seeing who it was.

"I find it sweet that despite you scaring her away, you still wish Miss Galinda to return. It's almost human of you, Elphaba."

The Munchkin's fists clenched. "I did what you wanted; now you leave her and my sister alone."

"Of course; I am a man of my word, after all." Roman approached her, and the green woman held her ground. "I knew it was only a matter of applying the right pressure before you buckled. Now let's see how you haunt a pile of rubble."


	15. Chapter 15

"Explain to me again why we are here?"

Galinda waited until Nessa had lifted herself into her chair before she replied, "I know it seems crazy, but Nastoya helped me before. She's seen Elphaba; maybe she can explain why she's acting this way."

The Eminent Thropp looked doubtful, and Galinda supposed she should have expected such. As a woman of such staunch faith, Nessa was naturally inclined to disregard psychics.

"Just trust me," the blonde continued.

Nessa let out a sigh. "I suppose there is no harm in merely speaking to this woman."

"Well… she isn't a woman per say…"

The brunette gave Galinda a look as the blonde opened the door to the small shop.

"Miss Nastoya?"

A pause before the sound of heavy footsteps. "Miss Galinda; I had expected to see you again." The Elephant came around the corner, and Nessa let out a small noise of surprise. "I see you brought her Eminence." Nastoya gave the brunette a slight bow.

"I… pleasure to meet you," Nessa managed to reply, giving the Elephant a nod before shooting Galinda a look.

The blonde was sure Nessa wanted answers (such as "why didn't you tell me she was an Animal), but there were more pressing matters at hand. "Miss Nastoya, we've come because we're concerned about Elphaba."

The Elephant nodded. "You wish to know why she has suddenly grown hostile towards you?"

Sapphire eyes widened slightly. "How did you—"

"She has attached herself to you multiple times, yes?"

Galinda nodded.

"I can sense her on you, and if she was able to do that, then you two must have formed a rather strong connection. The fact that you have come back tells me that Elphaba is acting up."

The Frottican could only nod dumbly, though Nessa looked less impressed, her arms crossed.

The Elephant gestured for them to approach and join her at her table, which they did. "At this point, there are a few possibilities. One could be that Elphaba merely needs time alone, and wanted you out for such."

"She could have just asked me though; she didn't have to yell and attack me…"

Nastoya frowned. "She attacked you?"

"Elphaba wouldn't—" Nessa started.

"She came at me… wrapped her hands around my throat…" Galinda recalled Elphaba's face during said event; how she had looked so desperate and sad. "She didn't want to hurt me…"

"This is concerning," Nastoya said, her trunk curling in worry and thought. "If Elphaba attacked you and has suddenly turned hostile, it could mean she has begun the transition from specter to poltergeist."

"What's the difference?" Nessa asked.

"A specter, or a ghost, is merely the spirit of a person who has died and has unfinished business. They keep to themselves, and are no threat to anyone. However, if a specter goes long enough without finishing their business, or experience some type of traumatic event, they can transition into a poltergeist. These are malevolent spirits who choose to torment people and have lost sight of their unfinished business." Nastoya paused, a sigh escaping from her trunk. "If Elphaba has indeed started to become a poltergeist, there will be little chance of her moving on."

"How do we stop her transitioning, if that's what's happening?"

"Hold on," Nessa interrupted. "This is all merely speculation. We have no idea what's happening to Elphaba, or why she acted the way she did, and before we jump to conclusions, I believe we should first talk to her."

"She didn't want to talk yesterday."

"Yes, but that was a day ago, and to you. Perhaps she will react differently today with me."

Galinda looked back towards Nastoya. "What do you think?"

"It is worth a try I suppose," the Elephant said. "Still, I should like to accompany you and check on Elphaba myself."

The blonde nodded, turning to the Eminent Thropp. "Nessa?"

The brunette sighed, but let her arms fall. "I suppose there is no harm in such."

* * *

Elphaba was alone, for now anyway. Roman had gone off to tend to other business, leaving the green woman alone to ponder her fate. She wasn't sure what would happen to her if he did manage to knock the granary down; would she be trapped? Would she be torn from this existence? Would she merely fade away? All three prospects seemed frightening in their own right, though Elphaba knew it shouldn't matter to her, being dead and all.

The sound of the door being unlocked caught her attention, and the green woman stood, preparing herself to be taunted yet again.

"Elphaba?"

The Munchkin was not prepared for her sister.

"Nessa… what are you doing here?"

The Eminent Thropp wheeled in, concern in her features. "Galinda came to see me last night; she said you started acting oddly."

"Oh, did she?" Elphaba looked up, seeing said blonde and Nastoya standing beyond the doorway. Dark eyes narrowed, and she let out a low growl. "I see she has not finished causing me trouble."

"Elphaba, did something happen? Why are you acting this way?" Nessa asked, trying to regain her sister's attention.

The green woman looked down at the younger Thropp, and for a moment, she considered telling her the truth, but thoughts of what Roman could do to both her sister and Galinda stopped her.

"Nothing happened; I am just tired of having my privacy invaded. My existence may seem pitiful to the rest of you, but it is mine, and I do not wish to spend the rest of it being tormented by memories from my past life."

Nessa did not look convinced. "That still does not explain why you felt the need to yell at Galinda, or tell her to leave the granary."

"Well, I'm sorry that my actions seem irrational, but if you have come here to change my mind, then you're wasting your time."

The younger Thropp's gaze hardened, and she fixed Elphaba with a look that was usually reserved for difficult dignitaries and council members. "Now you listen here, Elphaba Thropp. You may be… dead, but you are still my sister, spirit or not, and I know that this is not like you. Something must have happened to make you act this way. And I would appreciate it if you would tell us the truth."

Elphaba shook her head, crossing her arms. "You think you can intimidate me into saying what you want? I am dead, as you pointed out; there is nothing you can do to me."

Nessa looked ready to go at her sister again, but a trunk on her shoulder stopped her, and she looked up at the Elephant.

"Perhaps it would be best for you to wait with Miss Galinda," Nastoya said.

"But I—"

"Please, Your Eminence."

Nessarose sighed, but she turned her chair and wheeled outside, leaving the Elephant alone with the verdant specter.

"Miss Elphaba," Nastoya said, giving her a slight curtsey.

A slim eyebrow arched. "You needn't treat me as if I were my sister."

"You are still a Thropp, and a person, and you deserve respect."

Dark lips twitched. "I remember you… you came here after Galinda moved in…"

Nastoya nodded. "Yes, I did. She was concerned the granary may be possessed, but luckily for her, it was only you."

Elphaba let out a snort of amusement. "Luckily for her? I don't think so."

The Elephant shrugged, beginning to move about the room. "Well, possessions are a rather nasty business. I find ghosts like yourself to be much easier to work with."

Elphaba's arms dropped at that. "You… you've worked with ghosts before?"

"Oh, of course."

"How many?"

"Dozens." Nastoya examined the pile of crumpled up paper balls, frowning slightly.

"Did any of them… you know… move on?"

"Is that what you want, Miss Elphaba? To move on?" Nastoya turned to face her.

The green woman shrugged. "I don't know… I don't know if the other place is better or worse than here."

"That is a risk many specters are not willing to take. However, remaining on this plane for so long in such an existence can alter their perception of the world. Sometimes, it is altered so much that they begin to change… and then we call them poltergeists."

Elphaba's brow furrowed before she understood. "That's why you're here, isn't it? To see if I've changed into a poltergeist."

"Miss Elphaba—"

"You're here to see if I'm even worth saving."

"That is not why I am here—"

Elphaba turned towards the door, her gaze falling on Galinda. "Once again, you have caused me nothing but trouble!"

"Elphaba, please—"

The green woman started for the blonde, but upon reaching the doorway, she found herself being forced back. Elphaba paused, starting for the doorway again, but was met with the same invisible wall.

"What is this?"

There was the sound of heavy footsteps, followed by, "I placed a cleanse tag above the doorway in case my fears were realized." Nastoya passed by the green woman, moving to stand outside. "The tag will keep you contained to the granary. You will not be able to attach yourself to anyone… especially not Miss Galinda."

"So you have trapped me."

The Elephant looked saddened by such. "I did not want to be correct… I apologize, Miss Elphaba." Nastoya turned to face Galinda and the younger Thropp. "It would appear that she has begun the transition into poltergeist."

The blonde felt her heart drop at that. "Can't we do something to stop it?"

The Elephant sighed. "If we could figure out what her unfinished business is, we might be able to… but she certainly won't tell us. Miss Elphaba does not even realize that she is changing."

Galinda looked past the Elephant, her gaze falling on the green woman. "Then we have to figure it out for her."

* * *

Boq was concerned, to say the least. Her Eminence had left with Galinda early this morning, and that could only mean that something was wrong with Elphaba. The Munchkin worried for the Eminence's state of mind; this whole ordeal with her sister was certainly taking its toll on her.

"Good morning. Is the Eminent Thropp in, by chance?"

Boq was pulled from his thoughts by a familiar voice, and he looked up to see Master Skarr standing there.

"No, she isn't," the Munchkin replied. "Would you like to leave a message? I could tell her you called."

"I would really like to speak with her in person. Do you happen to know when she'll be back?"

Boq shook his head. "She didn't say."

Master Skarr did not seem pleased with this, but at that moment, his phone rang. "Excuse me," he said before he moved away, pulling said phone from his pocket.

Boq had just gone back to work when he heard, "The sister won't be a problem anymore."

Now Boq was not one to eavesdrop, but this man was standing a few feet away, and he wasn't exactly keeping his voice down as much as he should have. So really, who could blame the Munchkin? He stilled in his work, hoping to keep the appearance of looking engrossed in the papers on the desk.

"Trust me, no one will find it. No one goes near dead water."

Boq's brow furrowed. What would no one find? What was dead water?

Roman suddenly hung up, and Boq quickly went about his business.

"I suppose I will have to call on her Eminence another time," he said, tucking his phone away. He tipped his hat, and then he was gone.

* * *

Galinda was disheartened, to say the least. After bidding farewell to Nastoya, the remaining two had headed back towards the Colwen Grounds. Along the way, they had speculated about what Elphaba's unfinished business could be, but they had nothing concrete.

"It's useless; it could be anything," Nessa said as she wheeled into the house. "We're just guessing, but none of this will help Elphaba."

Galinda sighed. "We can't just sit by and watch."

"Did you find anything out?" Fiyero asked, coming into the room.

"Only that Elphaba might be transitioning into a poltergeist," Galinda replied.

"Is that bad?"

"It's bad."

"Your Eminence?"

The three paused, turning to face Boq. "What is it Boq?" the brunette asked.

The Munchkin seemed to have trouble finding his voice at first, finally managing, "Master Skarr came to call on you earlier."

Nessa let out a sigh of exasperation. "That man is certainly persistent. Well, I cannot deal with him right now. I have other things to worry about."

"I… I also heard something interesting."

The brunette paused from where she had been about to wheel away. "From Master Skarr?"

Boq nodded. "He received a phone call, and I know it is rude to eavesdrop, but he wasn't exactly being quiet—"

"Boq, please just tell us what you heard."

"He said 'the sister won't be a problem anymore', and then he mentioned something about 'no one will find it' and dead water."

Silence.

Finally, Fiyero said, "I knew he was trouble. He's after you, Nessa."

"Hold on," Galinda said. "He said 'sister'. He could mean Elphaba. Remember what Nastoya said about traumatic experiences? He could be the reason Elphaba's starting to change."

"Elphaba is already dead. He must mean Nessa; he obviously wants your position as Eminent Thropp."

"We don't know who he means," Nessa said, getting in between the two. "We should be focused on the whole message. What does he think no one will find? And what is dead water?"

Silence as the four pondered the question.

"Oh!" Galinda pulled out her phone, bringing up a map of Oz. She set it on the desk, and the four crowded around it. "I think he means Kellswater."

"The lake?"

Galinda nodded. "That lake has been untouched for years. It's considered 'dead water'; no one will go near it."

"So Roman hid something in the lake; we just have to figure out what it is."

"It could be anything," Fiyero said, crossing his arms. "We wouldn't even know where to start looking."

Galinda looked at the younger Thropp. "Can't you organize some sort of diving team?"

Nessa shook her head. "Munchkinland doesn't have one, and I don't enough power to persuade the Wizard to organize his for us." A sigh. "And even if I could, no one will go in that lake. It's called dead water for a reason I imagine."

Galinda let out a sigh of frustration. If no one would step forward to help Elphaba, then she would do it herself. "Elphaba has been alone for ten years, and right now, she needs someone who will look out for her. If I have to go into that lake myself—"

"We don't know that this is about Elphaba," Fiyero interrupted. "We don't even know if there's anything in Kellswater at all, and we can't just waste our time and resources following a hunch."

"But what if it turns out to be something?"

"And what if it doesn't?"

"Enough; arguing won't get us anywhere," Nessa said, stopping the two. She let out a sigh, rubbing her eyes. "Fiyero, can you organize a team to go into Kellswater?"

"You're not honestly considering—"

"Can you, or no?"

The Vinkan sighed, crossing his arms. "I could probably find a few from my tribe, yes."

Nessa nodded. "It may be nothing, but if there is something to find… then we need to know what it is."

* * *

"_It would appear that she has begun the transition into poltergeist."_

"_Can't we do something to stop it?"_

"_If we could figure out what her unfinished business is, we might be able to… but she certainly won't tell us. Miss Elphaba does not even realize that she is changing."_

The words replayed themselves over for the hundredth time in Elphaba's mind. She was sure Nastoya hadn't meant for her to hear, but she had, and now here she was. Could it be true? Could her recent behavior have forced her into beginning the transition to poltergeist? And her unfinished business… even she did not know what it could be.

The green woman's form shuddered with a sigh. Everything was unraveling too quickly for her to keep up…

The front door opened, and Elphaba stood, seeing that it was Roman Skarr.

"Good news, Elphaba. The destruction order has gone through, and in a few days, this granary will be nothing more than a pile of debris."

"Congratulations; just keep in mind that whatever you build here, I will haunt. I will run you out of business, and then I will turn my attention to you. You will never have a moment's peace with me around; every waking moment of your life will be miserable."

"Elphaba, please, don't come at me with idle threats. We both know that you are attached to this place. Once I knock it down, you will have no further reason to exist."

Elphaba grinned somewhat wickedly. "Haven't you heard? I've started transitioning into a poltergeist. Nasty little buggers, those. They attach themselves to people and haunt them for their own amusement."

Roman's smirk somewhat faltered.

"Oh, I see you hadn't counted on this. Well, I suppose in a way, I have you to thank for such. If you had just let me be, this would never have happened."

"You're grasping at straws."

"Then why do you look scared?" Elphaba made herself invisible, creeping up behind him. "You had better get used to living in fear."

Roman jumped at her voice, moving towards the door. "I-I'll find a way to get rid of you, mark my words."

"Good luck." In one smooth motion, Elphaba picked up Galinda's forgotten hammer and threw it at Roman. He managed to duck just in time, and the tool collided with the metal door, sending a loud crash throughout the granary. Roman quickly left, shutting the door behind him, and Elphaba was left alone once again.

_I suppose if I am doomed to become a malicious spirit, I might as well put it to good use._


	16. Chapter 16

Galinda had never imagined that she would be sitting with the Eminent Thropp at her dining table, but she also hadn't imagined that it would be so quiet. Apparently both she and Nessa were feeling the same uneasiness over everything that had happened earlier.

"Is everything all right?"

Galinda looked up at the younger Thropp.

"The food, I mean. Obviously everything else is… well…" The Eminent Thropp trailed off.

"The food is delicious. I'm afraid I'm just not terribly hungry," Galinda replied, setting her fork down.

"Yes, I know what you mean." Nessa let out a sigh, setting her fork down as well.

Fiyero came walking into the room, causing both of them to look up. "My team is ready to head into the lake. It'll be more difficult for them to see at night, but there will be less chance of the Wizard or the Gale Force spotting them."

"Thank you, Fiyero. Tell them to go ahead; let's hope whatever's in that lake is easy to find," Nessa said.

The Vinkan nodded before her left the room, leaving the two women alone again.

"Do you really think the Wizard would try and intervene?" Galinda asked. "Kellswater is Vinkan territory, after all."

"He enjoys meddling in the affairs of others," Nessa said, her tone sounding a bit frosty. "It's part of the reason our family decided to move towards having Munchkinland secede."

"I see…"

Nessa could tell that there was still something weighing heavily on the blonde's mind. "What else is troubling you?"

"What if we're wrong, and there's nothing in the lake? O-or what if we do find something, but it doesn't help? Then we're right back where we started, and no closer to helping Elphaba."

"That is the risk we must take, I suppose," Nessa said with a sigh. "All we can do is pray."

Galinda let out a short, humorless laugh. "I wouldn't even know where to begin."

Nessa wheeled over to her, touching her arm gently. "Come with me."

* * *

"The Unnamed God does not judge while we are in his house. Here you can pray to him in whatever manner you choose."

Galinda looked around the chapel uncertainly as she followed Nessa down the aisle. "The Unnamed God isn't exactly the deity we pray to in the Gillikin…"

"Yes, yes, I know you still hold to your ancient ways, with your temples to Lurline." Nessa lit a candle, turning to face the blonde. "I'm not asking you to convert; I am merely asking you to allow the Unnamed God relieve you of your burdens."

Galinda, who had never been inherently religious, paused a moment before she lit a candle as well, sitting in the pew behind her. Silence passed between the two, and Nessa could tell that Galinda was still hesitant.

"I will be waiting outside whenever you are ready," the Eminent Thropp said before she wheeled out of the chapel.

Galinda bit her lip, still uncertain, and after a few more moments, she said, "Hey… um… I don't know if you're listening, but… look, Elphaba doesn't deserve this, all right? She didn't do anything wrong, and now… we just want to help her. I… wow, this is going to sound ridiculous, but I… I have feelings for her. I know she's a ghost, but I care about her… I'm just not ready to say goodbye."

* * *

"_Nothing so far, sir."_

Fiyero let out a sigh, crossing his arms as he watched the screen in front of him. It was true that after over an hour of searching, his time team still had yet to find anything, and he could tell they were anxious to leave. Even sitting in a boat at the surface had the usually stoic Vinkan spooked. The water was… unnatural to say the least; it sat deathly still, with its odd grey coloring. Fiyero pressed the button on his walkie-talkie, asking, "Have you reached the bottom?"

"_Almost sir."_

"Search the bottom, and then bring it in."

"_Yes sir."_

Fiyero watched as the team dived deeper, and the lakebed came into view.

"Not even a single fish…" the Vinkan muttered, shaking his head. After about ten more minutes, Fiyero raised the walkie-talkie, ready to bring his team in.

_"We found something_."

Fiyero lowered the walkie-talkie, watching the as the camera drew closer to the object and brought it into focus.

"_Orders, sir?_"

"Bring that up; the Eminent Thropp needs to see it."

* * *

Sleep was impossible. Galinda tossed and turned for at least an hour before she sat up, resigning herself to the fact that it just wasn't going to happen. The blonde slid out of bed, making her way through the estate quietly. Maybe a nice cup of hot cocoa would help—

"I see you had trouble sleeping as well."

Galinda jumped at the voice, turning to see Nessa in the doorway of the sitting room.

"I was just going to make a cup of cocoa… I apologize if I woke you."

The brunette shook her head. "I was already awake. Come in."

The Frottican did so, finding that Nessa had made a fire in the fireplace.

"I know you said cocoa, but would tea suffice?"

"As long as it's warm." Galinda accepted a cup, sipping at it. "Still no word from Fiyero?"

Nessa shook her head. "Not yet."

"If he hasn't called by now, they probably didn't find anything…"

"We don't know that." Nessa's phone suddenly rang, and she held it up, checking the caller ID. "See, this is him right now." The brunette raised the phone to her ear. "Please tell me you have good news, Fiyero."

"_Still undecided. We found something in the lake."_

"Well, that's good, isn't it?"

"_You need to see it."_

His tone was grim, and Nessa frowned. "Fiyero, what did you find?"

"_We'll be there by morning… you need to see for yourself."_

The Vinkan hung up, and Nessa lowered her phone with a frown.

"What did he say?" Galinda asked.

"They found something, but he won't tell me what it is."

Galinda frowned. "Did he say why?"

"He just said I needed to see it for myself. He'll be here in the morning."

The Frottican looked down into her tea, knowing that it would be a long night.

* * *

Elphaba had forgotten just how lonely it was to be on her own. She hadn't realized how much she'd valued Galinda's presence until now… The green woman's form shuddered with a sigh as she listlessly turned the page of her book, though she was hardly focused on the words. Now that she knew what was happening to herself, nothing really seemed to matter… soon enough, Roman would get what he wanted, and the granary would be gone.

_And I will continue my existence as a malicious spirit._

She had sounded confident earlier, but now that she thought about it, it did seem a rather grim prospect. Elphaba wondered if maybe it would be better for her to just disappear when the granary was destroyed. After all, she had already scared Galinda away; what else was left for her in this plane of existence?

The green woman stood and made her way to the window, watching as the sun began to rise over Munchkinland.

_Maybe my time here has come to an end…_

* * *

After what seemed like endless hours of waiting, Fiyero finally arrived at the Colwen Grounds, wheeling a cart with a black garbage bag sitting on it.

"Fiyero…?"

The Vinkan didn't reply, instead making his way into the kitchen and dismissing anyone inside. "Close the door."

Galinda did so, a knot forming in her stomach as she approached the Vinkan and the Eminent Thropp.

"Fiyero, what's going on? You're being very cryptic," Nessa said, a slight tremor in her voice.

"I apologize, but you'll understand once you see." The Vinkan slipped on a pair of latex gloves before opening the bag, beginning to extract the contents and setting them on the stainless steel counter.

Nessa inhaled sharply, gripping the wheels of her chair tightly. "Is this…?"

"I think so, yes." Fiyero finished with the bag, taking a step back. Lying on the counter before them was all that remained of Elphaba Thropp.

Silence. No one quite knew what to say, which was understandable when one had someone's skeleton in their kitchen.

"She always wondered what color she was on the inside," Nessa finally said, doing her best to choke back tears. "I never thought we'd find out though…" The brunette looked at Fiyero. "Are you sure it's her…?"

The Vinkan nodded. "The skeleton is definitely female, about six feet tall—"

"She wasn't the only tall woman in Oz."

"It only has nine fingers."

Silence again. Galinda found herself looking at the skull, and the hole in the forehead. "Elphaba said she remembers being shot…"

"How could he do this…?" A tear slid down Nessa's face.

"Nessa we don't know it was him—"

"Then you tell me who it was! Someone stuffed my sister's body into a garbage bag and threw her in the lake! They treated her like she _was_ garbage!" Nessa had lost her composure by now.

"We'll find out who it was, I promise," Fiyero said, making to touch Nessa's shoulder, but she wheeled away from him.

"Don't… I can't stand to be touched right now."

From where she stood, an idea occurred to the blonde. "What if this is it? What if finding out what happened to her body is Elphaba's unfinished business?"

The other two looked up at her.

"Are you suggesting that bringing the skeleton to the granary will help Elphaba move on?" Nessa said.

"Maybe? We should contact Nastoya again; she has more experience than us in these matters."

Nessa sighed; she obviously was not keen on asking the Elephant for help again, but she had to admit that Galinda was right. "All right… we will contact her, and then we will return to the granary. With any luck, we'll finally be able to help Elphaba."

* * *

"So is it true? Could she be turning into a poltergeist?"

Across the table from him, Sir Chuffery let out a hearty laugh. "Poltergeists, spirits, ghosts, they're al the same thing: pests that need to be disposed of."

Roman crossed his arms, saying, "They have that Elephant helping them."

"Nastoya? She won't be a problem."

"I hope that is true." A pause. "Are you able to help me or not?"

"Of course, of course. My services won't come cheap though."

"Don't worry about that; get rid of Elphaba for me, and you'll get your green pennies."

* * *

At the sound of the granary door opening, Elphaba let out an irritated sigh. "I do not appreciate being interrupted when I am trying to read."

"So sorry, but I've brought someone for you to meet."

Elphaba looked up at Roman's confident tone (which could only bode ill), finding him standing with a man dressed in a rather nice suit.

"Brought a friend for me to haunt as well?" the green woman asked, getting to her feet.

"Sir Chuffery, if you please," the man said, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a prayer book. "And the Unnamed God compels you!" He thrust the book towards Elphaba, who raised a slim eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

Sir Chuffery's mustache twitched, and he put the prayer book away. "I see this will call for more drastic measures." He set his bag down and pulled out a piece of chalk and another book.

"How long will this take?" Roman asked.

"The Time Dragon methods cannot be rushed," Sir Chuffery replied, beginning to draw on the floor with the chalk.

Elphaba's eyes widened slightly. "You're trying to exorcise me?"

"Now who is scared?"

The green woman's fists clenched at that, and she quickly disappeared, starting for Galinda's hammer.

"Not this time." Roman quickly pulled a crystal from his pocket, setting it on the floor and watching it skitter over to Elphaba, effectively trapping her and forcing her to drop the hammer. "Just relax, Elphaba. This will all be over soon enough."

* * *

Upon seeing a familiar car parked outside the granary, Galinda felt her stomach knot tightly.

"That's Roman Skarr's car," the blonde said as Fiyero brought the car to a halt.

"What is he doing here?" Fiyero said, climbing out of the car.

"Let's find out," Nessa all but growled, already wheeling towards the granary, but the Vinkan caught her chair, stopping her.

"Hold on; where is Nastoya?" he asked. "She was supposed to meet us here."

"She'll be here," Galinda said.

"I hope so; she has Elphaba's skeleton."

"We can't wait for her! If Master Skarr is here, then it can only mean he intends to harm Elphaba!" Nessa pulled herself free from Fiyero's grip, starting for the granary again.

"Nessa, wait!" Fiyero started after her, Galinda following. Upon opening the door, the three were met with the sight of Sir Chuffery finishing up his chalk drawing, and Elphaba huddled on the floor, the energy from the crystal causing her form to shudder as it restrained her.

"Master Skarr, how dare you go behind my back!" Nessa shouted, wheeling into the room angrily. "I specifically remember telling you to leave the granary alone—"

The sound of a gunshot cut the Eminent Thropp off, and it was followed by a cry of pain.

"You know, I always did wonder if you could feel those useless legs of yours," Roman said, lowering his gun slightly.

"Nessa!" Fiyero rushed forward, quickly taking off his jacket and pressing it to the wound.

"Now, unless any of you would like to end up like Miss Elphaba, I'd recommend staying where you are," Roman said.

Galinda's eyes flashed towards Elphaba, who looked like she was trying very hard to break free of the crystal's hold on her. Suddenly it all made sense. "It was you; you're the reason Elphaba started acting oddly. She didn't scare us away because she was changing; she did it to protect us from you."

"It would appear that even in death, Miss Elphaba still has human feelings. Very unnatural, but it won't matter soon enough."

There was the sound of heavy footsteps, and Nastoya soon entered, her eyes narrowing at the sight before her. "Sir Chuffery; still advertising your services as an exorcist I see."

Galinda didn't like the sound of that. "Roman hired an exorcist?"

"A self-proclaimed exorcist, to be exact. His methods are controversial, to say the least."

"I produce results," Sir Chuffery said, having finished lighting the candles. "Something you will never understand, Nastoya."

"You are a charlatan playing dress-up! You are meddling with powers you cannot comprehend!"

"Enough!" Sir Chuffery picked up his book, his mustache twitching again. "I will prove to you that my methods are sound. Let us begin." He turned towards Master Skarr, saying, "Release her."

Roman removed the crystal, and Elphaba staggered to her feet, weakly lunging for him, but Sir Chuffery reading from the book stopped her. The green woman let out a yell of pain as she fell to her knees, her form beginning to phase in and out.

"Stop, please!" Galinda pleaded, taking a step forward.

"Stay put!" Roman said, pointing his gun at her threateningly.

Though loathe to do so, the blonde remained put, her gaze meeting Elphaba's. The pained look in Elphaba's dark eyes made her heart ache, and Galinda knew she could not stand by any longer.

"We have to stop this," she said to the Elephant beside her.

"If we interrupt his ritual, we risk Elphaba's existence."

"We can't let him finish either."

Nastoya's trunk curled in thought, and her gaze fell on the glowing chalk drawing in the middle of the room. "That symbol is pulling Elphaba from this plane of existence; if one of us were to stand there at just the right moment, it is possible Elphaba would be forced to possess us instead of being torn away."

"I'll do it."

"Miss Galinda, it is very dangerous. It could send you both to oblivion."

Elphaba yelled in pain again, and Galinda knew her choice was made for her. "Just tell me when to move."

Nastoya nodded, and the blonde began to edge closer to the symbol ever so slowly.

"I wonder, Master Skarr, if this is really what you want," Nastoya said, drawing his attention.

"If you are trying to make me feel guilty about this, you can save your breath."

"I suppose I just don't understand how you can hear such cries of agony and feel nothing."

Roman shrugged. "She's already dead."

"Perhaps, but even you can see that she is feeling pain _now_!"

Galinda leapt forward before Roman could realize what had happened, landing in the middle of the symbol. The blonde felt as though the air was being squeezed from her lungs, and she closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself for pain. There was a bright flash of light, and a strong pulse traveled through the room, knocking everyone off their feet and causing the windows to shatter.

Silence followed at the light faded, revealing Galinda standing in the middle of the room. There was no sign of Elphaba.

"Is she gone?" Roman asked, getting to his feet.

"The spirit has left us, yes," Sir Chuffery said, standing as well.

"I-I'll see you imprisoned for this," Nessa managed, fighting tears.

"For killing someone who was already dead? Don't be ridiculous." Roman smoothed out his jacket, picking up his fallen hat. "I can understand your grief; losing your sister a second time must be devastating. Ah, well, Miss Elphaba put up a good fight, and she will be sorely missed—"

A sudden punch across the face stopped Roman mid-sentence, and he stumbled back.

"I forgot how much that hurts," Galinda said, shaking her hand, although that abrasive voice sounded somewhat familiar... "And don't worry, I'm still here for you to miss in person."

Nessa's eyes widened. "Elphaba?"

"Honestly, how can she stand being this short? I feel like a child."

"It worked," Nastoya said. "Miss Elphaba is still with us."


	17. Chapter 17

**I apologize to everyone for the delay, I participated in NaNoWriMo last month and didn't really have time for any other writing, but I am back now!**

Elphaba looked down at her (Galinda's) hand; she had never possessed anyone before. It was an odd feeling; even though she was controlling a body once again, it didn't feel like she was alive again.

_Which I'm not, I guess._

"How… how is this possible?" Roman growled, rubbing his jaw from where he'd been punched. He turned his glare on Sir Chuffery. "You said she would be exorcised!"

The self-proclaimed exorcist seemed at a loss for words. "I… this has never happened to me before… the girl, she interrupted the procedure… it's her fault, not mine!"

"Looks like your plan didn't quite work out, now did it?" Elphaba said with a grin, though it looked far less intimidating coming from Galinda. "Don't worry; seeing as how you have such an interest in ghosts, I can very well make you one myself." Elphaba lunged for her, but Nastoya's trunk wrapped around her arm, holding her back.

"Miss Elphaba, this is not wise. The longer you spend in Miss Galinda's body, the harder it will be for you to leave. You have been saved, and that is what we had hoped for. Now it is time for you to leave her body."

"And let him get away with almost killing me a second time? I don't think so." Elphaba pulled herself away from the Elephant, her gaze falling on Roman's fallen gun. Too late he realized what she meant to do, and before he could stop her, Elphaba had picked it up and was pointing it at him.

"Now Elphaba, let's be reasonable—"

"That time has long since passed; I want the truth now, once and for all. What happened the night you killed me?"

Roman's eyes narrowed slightly. "Still concerned about that, are you?"

"I deserve to know!"

"And what will you do if I refuse to tell you?"

Elphaba let out a low growl. "I'll just keep shooting off body parts until you tell me."

"That hardly seems like a plan—"

"Tell me what happened!"

"Well, surely you must remember some of it."

"I remember I was shot at the protest, and I came here… you followed me… then you shot me in the head."

"Oh, is that all you remember?" Roman was wearing a rather evil smile now. "There was so much more than that."

"_I know you're in here." Roman made his way up the stairs, finding the green woman slumped against the wall, holding her bleeding side. "There you are."_

"_Wh-who's there?" Elphaba was struggling to see who it was, having dropped her glasses earlier._

"_Just me, Elphaba," Roman replied, pulling her glasses from his pocket. "You must have dropped these." He dropped them on the floor before crushing them underfoot. "Ah, well. You won't need them anymore."_

"_What do you want?"_

"_Oh, Miss Elphaba, don't pretend you don't know how this ends." He approached her, stooping to her level. "You are going to die tonight, but whether or not you die alone is up to you."_

_Elphaba's stoic expression faltered for a second before she resumed scowling. "If you're going to kill me, just do it."_

"_I would, but that's so terribly messy. That's why you're going to do it."_

_The Munchkin let out a humorless laugh. "Good luck with that; I'd rather bleed out first."_

"_Well, as I said, it's up to you. Either you take your life tonight, or you refuse, and I kill your siblings."_

_What color was left in Elphaba's face drained. "What—you stay away from them."_

"_That is not up to me. As their eldest sibling, it seems only fitting that you should be the one to decide their fate."_

_Elphaba felt the weight of a gun being placed in her hand._

"_Well, what's it going to be?"_

_The green woman paused, but she knew she couldn't let this man near her siblings. With a shaking hand, she raised the gun, pressing it to her temple. She closed her eyes tightly, tears beginning down her face. All the people she would be leaving behind… all the unanswered questions that would be left. And did she know Roman would stick to his word? The thought of something happening to Nessa made her feel sick, and she realized what a horrible job she had done of keeping her siblings safe._

"_Come now, what is the delay? Surely it can't be this difficult for you to pull a trigger."_

_In that moment, Elphaba knew it didn't matter what happened to her. She had to keep her family safe, even if it killed her. The green woman opened her eyes and quickly turned the gun on Roman himself, pulling the trigger._

_The gun clicked, indicating it was empty._

"_What… no." Elphaba pulled the trigger again, but the gun merely clicked harmlessly. "No!"_

"_Did you really believe I would have given you a loaded gun?" Roman said, taking the gun from her. "I knew you would try and turn it on me; you'll do anything to keep your siblings safe." He began loading the gun, and pointed it at the green woman's forehead when he was finished. "Don't worry; your sister is safe for now."_

"_I'll come back," Elphaba growled. "I'll find a way to come back and make you pay."_

"_That would certainly be quite the feat." He smirked down at the green woman and the glare she was giving him. "Miss Elphaba, you've certainly met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"_

"And so here we are," Roman finished. "You certainly managed to live up to your word, didn't you?"

Elphaba was having still having trouble processing everything. "Why?" she finally said. "Why did you do it?"

"Must I explain everything to you?"

"Tell me why!"

"I know why," Nessa said frostily. "He wants the title of Eminence."

"How was killing me supposed to help?"

"Elphaba… he's our grandfather."

Elphaba's eyes widened at that, and she turned her attention back to Roman, struggling to understand. "You…?"

"I married Lady Partra Thropp yes; she chose me actually. Wanted to breed to look more Gillikinese, she said. I had hoped that such a marriage would benefit me somehow; instead she gave birth to two daughters. When Sophelia lost her mind, it seemed almost meant to be. After all, Melena was reluctant to take over as Eminent Thropp, and I thought that perhaps my time had come. Then she gave birth to you, and if that wasn't enough, she had another girl, Miss Nessarose."

"You killed me to become Eminent Thropp?" Elphaba wanted to say she was shocked, but she knew that the quest for power could make people do anything.

"It would have worked too, had your mother not wandered in that night."

"What… she was there?"

Roman rolled his eyes, obviously disgusted with the whole situation. "She came wandering in right as I shot you. I only knew she was there when she started screaming."

"_Elphaba!" Melena ran to her eldest daughter, falling to her knees and meaning to touch her, but Roman seized her arm. Melena turned to face her father, angry tears in her eyes. "How could you do this to her?"_

"_She was in the way—"_

"_She was a child! My child! And you killed her!"_

"_And nothing you do will bring her back, now listen to me. We are going to hide the body where it will never be found."_

"_I am not going to help you cover this up."_

"_You will help me, or your crippled daughter is next."_

"I suppose the guilt drove her to insanity; she died about a month later." Roman shook his head. "I thought that by now, I had to be next in line, but then the invalid decided to take over." He looked at Nessa, shaking his head. "Two people died to keep you safe, and you still went right ahead and put yourself in danger. You had to be next, but with that bodyguard of yours, I could never get close."

"That's enough," Elphaba growled. "It's time for you to burn in Hell."

Nessa recognized her sister's dangerous tone. "Elphaba, wait; he's confessed to your murder. We can have him arrested—"

"And what good will that do, Nessie? He is the reason our mother is dead, the reason I am dead!" Elphaba looked all too ready to use the gun in her hand.

"Elphaba, I understand why you're upset, but you can't just take the law into your own hands—"

"Fiyero, get her out of here," Elphaba ordered.

"I am not leaving—"

"Your injury needs to be treated."

Nessa seemed very indignant at that idea of being ordered to leave. "I am staying with you; I wasn't there before but I can be now!"

"Fiyero, as the eldest Thropp, I am ordering you to take Nessa and leave."

"You do not outrank me, I'm the Eminent Thropp!"

"I will not have you joining me here as a ghost! Now Fiyero, take her to the hospital and tell no one of this!"

The Vinkan sighed, but he nodded, standing and wheeling Nessa from the granary despite her protests, closing the door behind him.

"Well, just the four of us," Roman said once the door closed. "Well, five of us really. How is Miss Galinda doing?"

"Better than you'll be," Elphaba growled.

"I highly doubt that, seeing as technically she is the one holding the gun. So go ahead and shoot me, Elphaba. It will be Miss Galinda who takes the fall for your petty need for revenge."

Elphaba faltered slightly at that; it was true, if she did this, Galinda would really be the one in trouble.

Roman let out a laugh at seeing the change in Elphaba. "You love her don't you? How impractical of you, Elphaba."

"Shut up," Elphaba said, her voice softer than before.

"Surely you didn't believe you could ever have a relationship with her; you are dead, after all."

Before Elphaba could reply, she was knocked off her feet by Roman, who had taken advantage of her lowered guard. The two struggled for a few moments, which normally wouldn't have been difficult for Elphaba, but she still had not quite mastered Galinda's petite size. As a result, Roman managed to wrestle the gun from her, and got to his feet, pointing it at her.

"Well, I suppose you've made it easier on me," he said, brushing loose strands of hair from his face. "I can kill both you and Miss Galinda at the same time."

"If you even think about hurting Galinda—"

"What, you'll both come back as ghosts? Not this time Elphaba, so when I kill you this time, do everyone a favor and stay dead." He raised the gun, and Elphaba held his gaze, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her defeat.

_I'm sorry… I wanted revenge so badly, and now I'm going to get us both killed…_

The door to the granary suddenly burst open, revealing several Vinkan-looking officers. Without a word, they swept into the room, seizing both Roman and Sir Chuffery.

"What is this? Unhand me you heathens!"

One officer approached Elphaba, offering his hand and helping her to her feet. "Are you all right?"

"Yes… did Fiyero call you?"

The officer nodded. "He told us there were some people in need of disappearing." He gave her another nod before he left with the others, leaving Nastoya and Elphaba alone.

"I have heard of Vinkans disappearing people; I did not realize it was still in practice," Nastoya said after a few moments of silence. She turned to Elphaba. "Where will they be taking them?"

Elphaba shook her head. "I don't know… someplace they won't be found, I suspect."

"That would make sense." The Elephant sighed. "Well, that was all quite a bit of excitement, but now it is time for you to leave Miss Galinda's body. You have been in it far longer than you should."

Elphaba looked down at pale hands; it was odd not seeing her own verdigris. "How can I go back?" she asked softly. "This is the closest I've ever been to being alive again…"

"I understand, but think of Miss Galinda. She still has her own life to lead; you wouldn't take that from her."

Elphaba knew Nastoya was right, but she was still reluctant to leave.

"_Elphaba… please…"_

Elphaba's eyes widened at the voice. "Galinda…?" The blonde had sounded weak, something that concerned Elphaba.

"Come, we must separate you two."

"How?"

Nastoya opened the bag on her shoulder, setting it down before pulling out incense and candles. "I will merely use a spell to help you remove yourself."

Elphaba looked wary, and Nastoya chuckled.

"Do not worry, it will be nothing like the exorcism. I actually know what I'm doing." The Elephant lit the candles and incense before beginning to mutter a spell. Elphaba suddenly felt very light, and after a few moments, she felt as though she could slip right out of Galinda's body. The green woman focused on doing that, and a minute or so later, she felt herself pulling away. Galinda's body fell to the floor, and Elphaba made to catch her, but she suddenly felt very tired and couldn't seem to summon the energy to make herself corporeal.

"Easy," Nastoya said, catching the blonde in her trunk and lowering her gently.

"Why couldn't I…?" Even talking seemed a chore, and Elphaba left her sentence unfinished.

"You will need some time to recover and remember how to use your specter form."

Elphaba looked down at the Frottican, whose eyes were still closed. "Will she be okay?"

"We can only wait and see."

Tense minutes passed, during which Elphaba's guilt wracked her. If Galinda didn't wake up, it would be her fault.

Finally, blue eyes fluttered open, and Elphaba's form shuddered in relief.

"Galinda…"

The Frottican sat up, putting a hand to her head. "My head is pounding."

"Yes, well, that is to be expected," Nastoya said. "Miss Elphaba was in your body a bit longer than she should have been."

Galinda turned towards the green woman. "Next time you want to shoot someone, try not to monologue so much."

Elphaba grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

Nastoya smiled before saying, "Now that this is settled, it is time to tell Miss Elphaba the reason we have come here."

"Oh… right." With everything that had happened, Galinda had forgotten why they had come in the first place… in all honesty, she did not want Elphaba to move on. She wanted more time with the green woman, even if she was a ghost. "We found your body, Elphaba…"

The green woman's brow furrowed. "Why do you sound so depressed about that?"

"Because we think it's your unfinished business…"

"Oh… OH. I see." Elphaba's form shuddered with a sigh.

"It is up to you, Miss Elphaba. Would you like to see it?" Nastoya asked.

Elphaba looked at Galinda. If this was her unfinished business, that would mean leaving Galinda behind, but maybe that was better. She couldn't expect the blonde to deal with a ghost for the rest of her life. "How will I know if it is?"

"Then you will regain your memories and move on."

Elphaba exchanged another look with the blonde; they couldn't live in a constant state of what if. "All right."

Nastoya nodded and left the granary, soon returning with a thin cart on wheels, on which sat a covered object. "Are you ready?"

Elphaba got to her feet, nodding. Nastoya moved back the blanket, revealing the skeleton underneath. The Munchkin approached, her hand hovering over it. Her gaze fell on the hole in her skull, and she could hear Roman's voice in her head, taunting her before she died. She was about to turn away when a new voice began to talk, drowning him out.

"_You're a horrid little beast, there's no doubt about that, but you're still my daughter, and I will always keep you safe."_

She knew that voice was her mother's… and that memory was from her childhood. Suddenly, they all came rushing back; every memory from before she killed, everything she could remember from her past life.

"Elphaba?" Galinda asked, getting to her feet and approaching the green woman carefully.

"I… I remember… all of it… it's all coming back."

Galinda felt her heart drop at that. "So this was your unfinished business then…"

Elphaba turned to face the blonde. "I suppose so."

Both paused, unsure of what to say.

"Well… this is goodbye I suppose," Elphaba started. "At least for another… seventy or so years?"

Galinda smiled at that, though her eyes were filling with tears. "I won't forget you, Elphaba."

"Nor I you."

"You forgot your own family."

Elphaba gave her a look, and Galinda let out a watery laugh. The Munchkin made herself corporeal long enough to pull the blonde into an embrace, feeling Galinda clutch her tightly. Eventually, Elphaba couldn't hold it anymore and released her, taking a few steps back.

"All right…"

Silence. Nothing happened.

"Are… are you going to move on, or…?" Galinda asked.

"I don't know… I thought I was supposed to…" Elphaba seemed confused.

"But your unfinished business… we found your body... you got your memories back… what else is there?"

Elphaba paused a bit longer before realization came to her, and she smiled slightly. "You're my unfinished business now blondie."

Galinda's eyes widened. "What—me? I don't understand—"

"It makes sense," Nastoya said. "As the bond between you grew, Miss Elphaba cared less about what had happened and instead cared about you. She finally let go of her past because you are more important to her now."

"So… you're staying here?"

"Hey don't sound so disappointed—"

Galinda threw herself at the green woman, wrapping her arms around her form.

"What are you doing, I'm not even corporeal right now."

"I don't care."

Elphaba rolled her eyes, but she put her arms around the blonde (or as much as she could).

"Well, what are we going to do with your body now?" Galinda asked once they broke apart.

"Bury it I suppose. Unless you want wind chimes made from my bones."

"Elphaba, that's so morbid."

"Before we bury it, I have a question for Miss Elphaba," Nastoya said. "Since you did not move on, your skeleton can be used for another purpose."

"Wind chimes?"

"Inspired idea, but I was thinking something more along the lines of bringing you back to life."

Both Elphaba and Galinda stared at that. "You can do that?" the blonde asked.

"It's not permanent, mind you, but I believe that I could bring Miss Elphaba back for one day. Keep in mind that I can only do this once, and after twenty-four hours, you remain a ghost until you choose to move on."

The two women exchanged a look before Elphaba nodded. "All right."


	18. Chapter 18

"Come over here, stand just there."

Elphaba stood in the symbol Nastoya had drawn, glancing over at the skeleton beside her. Her skeleton, she supposed.

"Now just hold still, I promise this won't hurt a bit," the Elephant continued.

"That's what the last guy said," Elphaba muttered.

"I heard that." Nastoya began chanting some incantation, and Elphaba became aware of a tingling in her body (as much of a body as she had). She looked down at her hands, seeing that they were beginning to fade away. Fear gripped her for a moment or two; had Nastoya lied? Was she really forcing Elphaba to leave this plane of existence? The green woman looked up at Galinda, who was looking both concerned and hopeful. Elphaba closed her eyes just before she disappeared completely; at least Galinda had been the last thing she had seen—

Suddenly, she was lying on the floor, and the green woman let out a gasp, feeling her lungs fill for the first time in ten years. She became aware of the hardness of the floor on her back, and she sat up slowly, her body feeling so much heavier than she remembered.

"Elphaba…?"

The Munchkin turned towards the voice, seeing the blurry figure of Galinda approach hesitantly. "I'm all right, though apparently almost blind without my glasses."

"Here." Elphaba felt something being pressed into her hand, and she soon realized it was a pair of glasses, which she slipped onto her face, bringing her world into focus. "Where did you—"

"I had them here… I thought maybe they would help you regain your memories."

Elphaba managed to get to her feet, trying to get used to the feeling of being alive again. She was acutely aware of her breathing, and the steady rise and fall of her chest. "I am a bit colder than I remember though…"

"Well that's because you're… well… naked," Galinda replied, her face coloring slightly.

"Oh?" Elphaba looked down at herself. "That is a lot of green, yes."

"I will fetch you some clothing," Nastoya said, using her trunk to place a blanket around Elphaba's shoulders before she left the granary.

Elphaba held the blanket around herself (more for Galinda's sake than anything), the cloth scratchy against her skin. It was odd, being able to feel again.

"So you're really…" Galinda trailed off as she reached up, tracing a sharp cheekbone carefully and tearing up. "I can touch you."

"You've always been able to touch me."

Galinda gave her a look, shaking her head before she buried her face in Elphaba's chest. "You're alive…"

Elphaba stiffened a bit at first, slowly relaxing as she wrapped her arms around the blonde. "For now, my sweet… yes, I am alive."

After dropping off the clothing, and reminding them that this would only last for twenty-four hours, Nastoya left the two women alone. Galinda spent the first hour running her hands over Elphaba's body, still having trouble believing that she was really there. Elphaba didn't mind the touching, especially considering that she was doing the same to the Frottican.

"Not that I'm not enjoying this, but might it be possible for us to get something to eat?" Elphaba eventually asked. "I am starving."

Galinda nodded. "I suppose so; you haven't eaten in ten years, after all. You're practically a skeleton."

Elphaba gave her a look.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist."

The two started for the door, which Elphaba ended up walking right into.

"Elphaba!" The blonde was concerned, of course, but she was also trying very hard not to laugh.

"I'm okay," the green woman said as she recoiled.

"You're solid now, remember? You have to actually open doors."

"Well that certainly is a hassle." Elphaba grasped the handle, giving it a yank. The door remained stubbornly in place. "What is the matter with this fool thing?"

"Push it, Elphaba."

Elphaba did so, and as soon as she was outside, the smell of fresh air and dirt reached her. The green woman stood for a few moments and she took it in, enjoying the feeling of the elements on her skin.

"Elphaba?"

"I can actually feel the sun on my skin… the change of the seasons has meant so little to me for so long…"

Galinda smiled at that, taking Elphaba's hand gently. "Come on, let's get some food in you."

Elphaba looked down at their joined hands before she nodded in agreement. The two walked to Galinda's car, and the blonde opened the passenger door for her companion.

"Watch your head," she said as Elphaba got in.

"I'll be fine—" There was the sound of Elphaba's head colliding with the doorframe, followed by swearing.

Galinda rolled her eyes before she got into the driver's seat. "Put your seat belt on."

"Why?"

"Because it keeps you safe."

"From what, dying?"

Galinda gave the green woman a withering look. "Put it on, or so help me—"

"All right, fine." Elphaba located the seat belt, and after a brief struggle, she managed to get it on. "Happy?"

Galinda nodded and started the car. "Leave it on."

Elphaba scowled. "You would think you were watching after a small child, the way you're going on—" The Munchkin stopped mid-sentence as a realization struck her. "Nessa."

Galinda was about to ask what about her, but then she remember that the last time they had seen the Eminent Thropp, she had been shot. "We'll go to the hospital."

Elphaba didn't reply, though she looked exceedingly troubled.

"I'm sure she's fine," Galinda added.

"I hope you are right."

* * *

"Nessa please, the doctor said—"

"I don't care what the doctor said, my legs are useless anyway so why should I care about proper healing?"

"You should care, Nessie. After all, we wouldn't want a horrible scar to mar that flawless skin of yours."

The brunette looked up from where she had been fighting Fiyero in an attempt to get in her chair. "Elphaba…?"

The elder Thropp approached, bumping into the edge of the bed and swearing softly. "I apologize, I am still getting used to this whole being solid state."

Nessa's brow furrowed. "What are you…" She reached forward, her fingers brushing against her sister's hand. Nessa's eyes widened, and she looked back up at the green woman. "Elphaba, you're… you're alive."

"So are you." Elphaba offered her sister a smile. "Thank Oz you're alive…"

"But Roman… and your skeleton… what about moving on?" Nessa seemed to have trouble latching onto one single thought.

Elphaba glanced at Fiyero before she said, "Roman has been taken care of."

"Elphaba, you didn't—"

"No, I didn't do anything."

"And this…?"

"Nastoya did this. I only have twenty-four hours… well, more like twenty-two now."

Nessa nodded, her gaze falling on Galinda, who was lingering in the doorway. "Galinda…"

The blonde approached, her grip twisting on the strap of her purse. "Glad to see you're all right, Miss Nessarose."

"This is all because of you." Nessa held out her hand, which Galinda took. The younger Thropp gripped it tightly, giving her a nod. "Thank you."

Galinda nodded, not sure how else to respond; there were no fitting words she could come up with.

"Well, now that I know you're all right, I need to eat," Elphaba said.

"That sounds like an excellent plan; I am famished myself," Nessa said, going for her chair again.

"Nessa, the doctor said you couldn't go anywhere—" Fiyero started again.

"Well Fiyero, I need to eat—"

"Then we'll just have to compromise."

* * *

Elphaba couldn't recall a time food ever tasted so good, and she was currently wolfing down her veggie wrap.

"Easy Elphie, you'll choke if you don't slow down," Galinda said, placing a hand on the green woman's arm.

"This is the first meal I've had in ten years, and it's amazing," Elphaba replied. "Maybe the best of my life. Or my lives; I'm not sure which it is."

Nessa arched an eyebrow as she watched her sister. "All the restaurants in Munchkinland, and your best meal is here in a hospital cafeteria."

Elphaba ignored her sister as shoveled fries in between bites of the wrap. "Oz, I forgot how much I missed fries."

Galinda couldn't help but smile fondly as she watched the green woman, though a twinge of sadness pulled at her heart. This wouldn't be permanent… Elphaba would go back to being a ghost tomorrow… The blonde did her best to push those thoughts from her mind. For now, her focus would be on enjoying the time she had with Elphaba.

"What's your plan for these remaining hours, besides stuffing yourself with food?" Nessa asked after another minute or so.

Elphaba shrugged and let out a grunt.

"Oz, you haven't changed a bit; it's still a fight to get words out of you sometimes, isn't it?"

"I haven't planned anything, Nessie," Elphaba replied. "And I certainly don't want to waste precious time listening to you lecture."

"We could explore Munchkinland," Galinda suggested before the two could get too deep in their argument. "I'm sure some things have changed in ten years."

Elphaba let out an amused snort. "Not many things, I imagine. If I recall correctly, Munchkinland has always been slow in the area of progress."

"So cruel to your own home, sister dear?"

"I have no love for Munchkinland, Nessa." The green woman turned to Galinda. "But I suppose I could show you what I remember. Which corn stalk would you like to start at?"

Galinda smiled despite herself. "It can't be much more boring than being back home in Frottica. Cows as far as the eye can see."

"Well, at least you had someone to talk to."

* * *

"I forgot what being tired felt like," Elphaba said as the two entered the granary that night. "I don't recall my body aching this much before either."

Galinda smiled as she led the way up the stairs, which creaked beneath them.

"Oz, how do you stand this? These stairs feel like they want nothing more than to collapse beneath us," the green woman added.

"You get used to it." The two reached the second floor, and Galinda sat down on the mattress, patting the spot beside her. Elphaba sat down with a sigh, removing her shoes. It was silent between them, and Elphaba could tell that something was on the blonde's mind.

"Something you want to share blondie?"

Galinda let out a sigh, the feelings she'd been trying to ignore all day creeping up again. "I'm sorry Elphaba… I just keep thinking that tomorrow…" The blonde couldn't finish.

A pause, and then Elphaba said, "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about that as well… but even so, I was able to experience being alive again. It's been worth it."

Galinda nodded, though her heart still felt heavy. "Elphie… would it be okay if… I… we…" The blonde's voice was shaky, and she took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, but Elphaba beat it her to it. The green woman covered pink lips with her own dark ones, and Galinda found herself easily melting into the kiss.

"Sorry if that was less than satisfactory; I haven't exactly been able to practice for a while," Elphaba said once they broke apart.

"N-no, it was…" Galinda smiled. "You're warm for once."

Elphaba grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."

That toothy grin of hers; it had to be illegal how endearing it was, and Elphaba probably didn't even realize it. Galinda leaned in and kissed the green woman again, bringing a hand up to thread through her dark hair. Elphaba let out a soft moan at that, encouraging Galinda to gently scratch her nails against the green woman's scalp.

"Oz, Glin…"

The blonde smiled slightly. "Have I found your weakness?"

"It is quite possible."

The kissing continued and soon enough, Elphaba found herself being pushed down against the mattress gently as Galinda moved to straddle her hips.

"So, we're heading in that direction, are we?" Elphaba said once they had broken their kiss in order to catch their breath.

"Which direction?"

A dark eyebrow arched. "Come now, my sweet, look at our positioning, or do you make it a point to straddle all your guests?"

Galinda flushed, and Elphaba cackled.

"We can stop if you want," Galinda said, still slightly pink.

"That is the last thing I want; I am merely asking you to consider your choice." Elphaba's expression became more serious. "You know very well I won't stay this way forever—"

"All the more reason for you to stop talking and continue kissing me."

Elphaba grinned again, and Galinda leaned down to resume kissing her, eventually feeling a tug on her shirt.

"Did you want something?" she asked.

"You are wearing far too many clothes." Elphaba gave her shirt another tug, and then had the afterthought to add, "Please?"

Galinda conceded to the green woman's wishes, stripping off her shirt and revealing the pink bra underneath.

Now, of course Elphaba knew what was under a woman's shirt, and this wasn't the first time she'd been intimate with someone, but whatever she had been expecting, this caught her entirely off guard. The green woman could only stare at the blonde, unaware that her face was turning a few shades of darker green.

"Elphie?" Galinda ventured after some time had passed.

"I…" She wanted to tell Galinda that she was beautiful and gorgeous and all other manners of clichés, but what came out instead was, "It's pink."

The Frottican rolled her eyes and gave her a look. "Yes, it's pink. Very astute, Miss Thropp." Galinda decided to go a step further and shimmied out of her pants, revealing her matching underwear. "And what do you have to say about this?"

Elphaba was staring shamelessly now; she couldn't help it.

"Have I finally left you speechless?"

Finally, Elphaba recovered long enough to say, "They match; do you often plan for scandalascious activities after attempted exorcisms?"

Galinda squawked in indignation, Elphaba cackled, and the balance between the two was once again restored. After a bit more kissing (accompanied this time with Elphaba's wandering hands, which seemed to want to be everywhere on Galinda's body at once), Elphaba allowed her own clothing to be removed.

"Just to warn you, I do not have a matching set of underwear; in fact, I don't even have a bra, so prepare yourself for an excess of verdigris."

Galinda rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I can handle it."

She couldn't, not at first. When Elphaba's shirt came off, the Frottican found herself staring just as Elphaba had. The green wasn't ugly, quite the contrary, in fact. Elphaba was a very nice shade of green (forest green, Galinda surmised); her skin pulled taut over her ribs, and Galinda found herself watching the way Elphaba's chest rose and fell almost deliberately with each breath she took.

"Elphaba, you're…" Galinda gestured with her hands, as if that could somehow bring the words she wanted to mind.

A dark eyebrow arched. "Green?"

Galinda gave her a look, but she could play Elphaba's game. Before the Munchkin could prepare another witty remark, Galinda stripped her of her pants, leaving her only in her black underwear. "Green all over."

Elphaba flushed slightly, and only because Galinda had managed to beat her at her own game. "Yes, well, I suppose I would look rather ridiculous if I were only half green, yes?"

"I suppose."

As the two continued their amorous activities, it soon became apparent that Elphaba was a talker during such. Galinda didn't entirely mind, but there were times where Elphaba's commentary was less than appreciated.

"I'm surprised this floor can handle our activities."

"Elphaba."

"What? All I'm saying is don't be surprised if we go crashing through."

"Elphaba, please."

"I mean, if that turns you on—"

"Elphaba!"

In the end though, Galinda found herself to be fully satisfied, and was quite content to cuddle with the green woman afterwards.

"Being alive requires so much energy," Elphaba said, her chest still slightly heaving as she ran a hand through her hair.

Galinda smiled, looking up at Elphaba from where she was currently resting her head on a verdant chest. "More than being a ghost?"

"I am tempted to say yes."

* * *

Morning found the two asleep on the mattress, Galinda curled into Elphaba's side, one verdant arm holding her close. As the sunlight began filtering through the window, Galinda awoke, quite surprised to find an excess amount of green beside her. It took her a few seconds to remember what had transpired the previous day, and she smiled as she ran a hand across Elphaba's chest.

"Well, that's certainly a nice way to be woken up," Elphaba said, though her eyes remained closed. "Much better than my mother dumping me out of bed anyway."

Galinda giggled at that. "She really did that?"

The Munchkin nodded. "She'd take hold of the mattress and dump me out if I wasn't up when I was supposed to be." Dark eyes opened as Elphaba recalled the memory. "Mornings were never a good time for me. I always hated waking up early."

"It's not the most fun thing in the world, no." Galinda let out a sigh, her thoughts wandering to the inevitable.

Elphaba rolled over to face her upon hearing the sigh. "I'll be all right," she said, her voice a bit softer than usual.

Galinda didn't reply, instead holding herself close to the green woman and burying her face in her neck. Elphaba held her close, gently rubbing her back and whispering what she hoped were reassurances.

* * *

"All right, go investigate."

Elphaba turned to face the blonde. "No please?"

Galinda merely gave her a look, prompting Elphaba's form to shudder in a sigh.

"Fine. Give me a moment." The green woman disappeared inside the building, and Galinda looked down at the papers in her hand. There had been rumors that this old prison was haunted, though the Gillikin had expressed desire to make it a historical landmark, seeing as it had been built before Southstairs.

There was a sudden crashing sound, and Galinda looked up in time to see Elphaba quickly emerging through the wall, looking rather put out.

"Well?" the blonde asked.

"There are spirits here, yes."

"Are they poltergeists?"

"With the way they're acting, they might as well be." Elphaba looked over at the blonde. "Still want to do this?"

"Hey, we handled those ghosts at Kiamo Ko—"

"You mean I handled those ghosts."

"WE handled them."

Dark eyes rolled, though the green woman was smiling fondly. "All right, after you then, partner."

Galinda gave the Munchkin another look before she headed inside, Elphaba following. "If they throw something at me, warn me."

"Always, my sweet."


End file.
